Expression of Klebsiella oxytoca polypeptides involved in lysine decarboxylation, and methods and applications thereof

ABSTRACT

One aspect provided herein relates to lysine decarboxylase polypeptides comprising mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of Klebsiella oxytoca (K. oxytoca) Ldc) and/or fragments thereof. In certain embodiments, the mutants or fragments thereof may have at least about 95% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 2. Another aspect provided herein relates to a DNA polynucleotide comprising one or more lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc), fragments thereof, or fragments of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., fragments of K. oxytoca ldc). In certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide as disclosed herein may encode one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides provided herein. In certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide as disclosed herein may encode SEQ ID NO: 2, mutants, and/or fragments thereof. In certain embodiments, the lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences provided herein may have at least 95% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3. Another aspect provided herein relates to expression vectors comprising the DNA polynucleotides described herein used for production of a lysine-derived product. Other aspects provided herein include transformants, mutant host cells, methods for the production of lysine decarboxylases, and methods for the production of a lysine-derived product.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/547,323, filed on 28 Jul. 2017 as a national stage filing under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of PCT/CN2015/071978, filed on 30 Jan. 2015. Each application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Cadaverine is a platform chemical involved in the production of various products. Cadaverine can be synthesized via decarboxylation of lysine in microorganisms. Lysine decarboxylases are the enzymes that catalyze production of cadaverine by removing the carboxyl group from lysine. For example, in Escherichia coli (E. coli), cadaverine is biosynthesized directly from L-lysine by two lysine decarboxylase polypeptides, CadA and LdcC. Current approaches to improve lysine production and the production of lysine-derived products, such as cadaverine, focus on the overexpression or attenuation of proteins involved in cellular metabolism. However, the yield obtained so far is not satisfying. Therefore, there is a need for new techniques resulting in higher yields of cadaverine.

SUMMARY

One aspect provided herein relates to a lysine decarboxylase polypeptide comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of Klebsiella oxytoca (K. oxytoca) Ldc) and fragments thereof, and fragments of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., fragments of K. oxytoca Ldc), wherein the mutants or fragments have at least 95% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 2. In certain embodiments, the mutant of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutant of K. oxytoca Ldc) may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or a fragment thereof comprising one or more mutations selected from the group consisting of a mutation at amino acid position 287 to X₁, a mutation at amino acid position 398 to X₂, a mutation at amino acid position 436 to X₃, a mutation at amino acid position 507 to X₄, and a mutation at amino acid position 607 to X₅; X₁, X₂, X₃, X₄, and X₅ are each independently selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine; and with the proviso that X₁ is not lysine, X₂ is not threonine, X₃ is not arginine, X₄ is not phenylalanine, and X₅ is not phenylalanine. In certain embodiments, the mutant of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutant of K. oxytoca Ldc) may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 5 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc K287E), SEQ ID NO: 7 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc T3985), SEQ ID NO: 9 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc R436G), SEQ ID NO: 11 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc F507L), and SEQ ID NO: 13 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc F607Y).

Another aspect provided herein relates to a non-naturally occurring DNA polynucleotide comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of one or more lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences, wherein the lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences have at least 95% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, and wherein the polynucleotide encodes one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides described herein. In certain embodiments, the non-naturally occurring DNA polynucleotide may comprise one or more lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) and fragments thereof, and fragments of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., fragments of K. oxytoca ldc), wherein the lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences have at least 95% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, and wherein the polynucleotide encodes one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc) and fragments thereof, and mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) and fragments thereof. In certain embodiments, the mutant of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutant of K. oxytoca ldc) may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1) or a fragment thereof. In certain embodiments, the lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 comprises one or more mutations selected from the group consisting of a mutation at nucleotide position 859 to Z₁, a mutation at nucleotide position 1193 to Z₂, a mutation at nucleotide position 1306 to Z₃, a mutation at nucleotide position 1521 to Z₄, and a mutation at nucleotide position 1820 to Z₅; Z₁, Z₂, Z₃, Z₄, and Z₅ are each independently selected from the group consisting of adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T), with the proviso that Z₁ is not an A, Z₂ is not a C, Z₃ is not a C, Z₄ is not a C or T, and Z₅ is not a T. In certain embodiments, the mutant of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutant of K. oxytoca ldc) comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of a lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 4 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 A859G), SEQ ID NO: 6 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1193G), SEQ ID NO: 8 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1306G), SEQ ID NO: 10 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1521G), and SEQ ID NO: 12 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 T1820A).

Another aspect provided herein relates to an expression plasmid vector comprising a DNA polynucleotide as described herein, and a backbone plasmid capable of autonomous replication in a host cell, wherein the expression plasmid vector is used for production of a lysine-derived product.

Another aspect provided herein relates to a transformant comprising one or more expression plasmid vectors as described herein in a host cell.

Another aspect provided herein relates to a mutant host cell comprising a DNA polynucleotide as described herein integrated into a chromosome of the host cell.

Another aspect provided herein relates to a method for producing one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides as described herein, wherein the method comprises obtaining the mutant host cell described herein and/or the transformant described herein, culturing the mutant host cell and/or transformant under conditions effective for the expression of the one or more polypeptides, and harvesting the one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides.

Another aspect provided herein relates to a method for producing cadaverine (1,5-pentanediamine) comprising 1a) cultivating a mutant host cell and/or a transformant described herein; 1b) producing cadaverine using the culture obtained from step 1a to decarboxylate lysine; and 1c) extracting and purifying cadaverine using the culture obtained from step 1b.

Another aspect provided herein relates to a method for producing cadaverine (1,5-pentanediamine) comprising obtaining one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides as described herein and producing cadaverine using the one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides to decarboxylate lysine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: Table showing primers (SEQ ID NOs: 27-43) used in creating the constructs described in the Examples section below.

FIG. 2: Table showing strains, plasmids, enzymes, genes, promoters, and ribosomal binding site (RBS) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences described herein.

FIG. 3: Batch fermentation results. Strains LN20 (white) and CIB60 (black) were grown using batch fermentation, and the cultures were assayed for their ability to convert lysine-HCI to cadaverine. At each time point, samples were taken to measure OD₆₀₀ (square), glucose (circle), and activity (triangle).

FIG. 4: Fed batch fermentation results. Strain LN24 was grown in a fed batch fermentation, and the culture was assayed for its ability to convert lysine-HCl to cadaverine. At each time point, samples were taken to measure OD₆₀₀ (white square), and activity (black diamond).

FIG. 5: Batch fermentation results. LN24 (black) and LN3014 (white) were grown using batch fermentation, and the cultures were assayed for their ability to convert lysine-HCl to cadaverine. At each time point, samples were taken to measure OD₆₀₀ (square), glucose (circle), and activity (triangle).

FIG. 6: Fed batch fermentation results. Strain LN3014 was grown in a fed batch fermentation, and the culture was assayed for its ability to convert lysine-HCl to cadaverine. At each time point, samples were taken to measure OD₆₀₀ (white square), and activity (white triangle).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding of, and enabling description for, embodiments of the disclosure. However, one skilled in the art will understand that the disclosure may be practiced without these details. In other instances, well-known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments of the disclosure.

Klebsiella oxytoca (K. oxytoca) is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium. The K. oxytoca E718 genome sequence contains the K. oxytoca lysine decarboxylase gene, ldc, which encodes the lysine decarboxylase polypeptide, K. oxytoca Ldc. As used herein, the nucleotide sequence of K. oxytoca ldc is referred to as “K. oxytoca ldc,” “ldc,” “K. oxytoca ldc polynucleotide,” or “K. oxytoca ldc nucleotide sequence” and has the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. As used herein, the K. oxytoca Ldc polypeptide is referred to as “K. oxytoca Ldc,” “Ldc,” “K. oxytoca Ldc polypeptide,” or “K. oxytoca Ldc protein” and has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.

One aspect provided herein relates to a lysine decarboxylase polypeptide comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc) and fragments thereof, and mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) and fragments thereof, wherein the mutants or fragments have at least 95% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 2.

In certain embodiments, the mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) or fragments thereof may have at least about 90%, at least about 91%, at least about 92%, at least about 93%, at least about 94%, at least about 95%, at least about 96%, at least about 97%, at least about 98%, at least about 99%, about 90%˜99.999%, about 91%˜99.999%, about 92%˜99.999%, about 93%˜99.999%, about 94%˜99.999%, about 95%˜99.999%, about 96%˜99.999%, about 97%˜99.999%, about 98%˜99.999%, or about 99%˜99.999% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 2.

The term “about” as used herein means within 5% or 10% of a stated value or a range of values.

In certain embodiments, the mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 comprising one or more mutations. A mutant of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutant of K. oxytoca Ldc) may comprise one or more deletions, substitutions, additions, and/or insertions of one or more amino acids within SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein the mutant of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutant of K. oxytoca Ldc) provides substantially the same lysine decarboxylase activity as K. oxytoca Ldc (i.e., the mutant of K. oxytoca Ldc has about 80% or higher lysine decarboxylase activity compared to that of K. oxytoca Ldc; about 90% or higher lysine decarboxylase activity compared to that of K. oxytoca Ldc; about 95% or higher lysine decarboxylase activity compared to that of K. oxytoca Ldc; about 97% or higher lysine decarboxylase activity compared to that of K. oxytoca Ldc; about 99% or higher lysine decarboxylase activity compared to that of K. oxytoca Ldc; or about 100% or higher lysine decarboxylase activity compared to that of K. oxytoca Ldc).

Examples of preferred mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) include, without limitation, SEQ ID NO: 5 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc K287E); SEQ ID NO: 7 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc T398S); SEQ ID NO: 9 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc R436G); SEQ ID NO: 11 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc F507L); and SEQ ID NO: 13 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc F607Y). Additional examples of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) include, without limitation, mutants comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 comprising one or more mutations selected from the group consisting of a mutation at amino acid position 287 to X₁, a mutation at amino acid position 398 to X₂, a mutation at amino acid position 436 to X₃, a mutation at amino acid position 507 to X₄, a mutation at amino acid position 607 to X₅; homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 5 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc K287X₁); homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 7 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc T398X₂); homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 9 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc R436X₃); homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 11 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc F507X₄); and homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 13 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc F607X₅). X₁, X₂, X₃, X₄, and X₅ are each independently selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine, with the proviso that X₁ is not lysine, X₂ is not threonine, X₃ is not arginine, X₄ is not phenylalanine, and X₅ is not phenylalanine. As used herein, a homologous polypeptide may have at least about 90%, at least about 91%, at least about 92%, at least about 93%, at least about 94%, at least about 95%, at least about 96%, at least about 97%, at least about 98%, at least about 99%, about 90%˜99.999%, about 91%˜99.999%, about 92%˜99.999%, about 93%˜99.999%, about 94%˜99.999%, about 95%˜99.999%, about 96%˜99.999%, about 97%˜99.999%, about 98%˜99.999%, or about 99%˜99.999% sequence homology to a specified polypeptide sequence.

In certain embodiments, a fragment of a polypeptide as used herein provides substantially the same function as the whole unmutated polypeptide from which the fragment is derived. In these embodiments, fragments of K. oxytoca Ldc or mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc possess substantially the same function as K. oxytoca Ldc or the mutant of K. oxytoca from which they are derived (e.g., lysine decarboxylase activity).

Another aspect provided herein relates to a DNA polynucleotide comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of one or more lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences described herein. In certain embodiments, a DNA polynucleotide may comprise one or more lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc) and fragments thereof, and mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) and fragments thereof, wherein the lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences have at least 95% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, and wherein the polynucleotide encodes one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc) and fragments thereof, and mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) and fragments thereof.

In certain embodiments, the lysine decarboxylase polypeptides, K. oxytoca Ldc and mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc are the same as described supra. When there are a plurality of polypeptides, each polypeptide may be the same or different, and the one or more polypeptides may be expressed individually or as a fusion protein.

Examples of preferred mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) include, without limitation, SEQ ID NO: 5 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc K287E); SEQ ID NO: 7 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc T398S); SEQ ID NO: 9 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc R436G); SEQ ID NO: 11 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc F507L); and SEQ ID NO: 13 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc F607Y). Additional examples of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) include, without limitation, mutants comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 comprising one or more mutations selected from the group consisting of a mutation at amino acid position 287 to X₁, a mutation at amino acid position 398 to X₂, a mutation at amino acid position 436 to X₃, a mutation at amino acid position 507 to X₄, a mutation at amino acid position 607 to X₅; homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 5 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc K287X₁); homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 7 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc T398X₂); homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 9 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc R436X₃); homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 11 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc F507X₄); and homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 13 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc F607X₅). X₁, X₂, X₃, X₄, and X₅ are each independently selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine, with the proviso that X₁ is not lysine, X₂ is not threonine, X₃ is not arginine, X₄ is not phenylalanine, and X₅ is not phenylalanine.

In certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide sequence may comprise one or more lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) and fragments thereof, and fragments of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., fragments of K. oxytoca ldc). A mutant of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutant of K. oxytoca ldc) may include one or more deletions, substitutions, additions, and/or insertions of one or more nucleotides to the nucleotide sequence comprising SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO 3, while the lysine decarboxylase polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence provides substantially the same function as K. oxytoca Ldc (i.e., the lysine decarboxylase polypeptide encoded by the mutant of K. oxytoca ldc has about 80% or higher lysine decarboxylase activity compared to that of K. oxytoca Ldc; about 90% or higher lysine decarboxylase activity compared to that of K. oxytoca Ldc; about 95% or higher lysine decarboxylase activity compared to that of K. oxytoca Ldc; about 97% or higher lysine decarboxylase activity compared to that of K. oxytoca Ldc; about 99% or higher lysine decarboxylase activity compared to that of K. oxytoca Ldc; or about 100% or higher lysine decarboxylase activity compared to that of K. oxytoca Ldc).

In certain embodiments, the mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) or fragments thereof may have at least about 90%, at least about 91%, at least about 92%, at least about 93%, at least about 94%, at least about 95%, at least about 96%, at least about 97%, at least about 98%, at least about 99%, about 90%˜99.999%, about 91%˜99.999%, about 92%˜99.999%, about 93%˜99.999%, about 94%˜99.999%, about 95%˜99.999%, about 96%˜99.999%, about 97%˜99.999%, about 98%˜99.999%, or about 99%˜99.999% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3.

An example of a mutant of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutant of K. oxytoca ldc) may include, without limitation, the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc) that has been codon-optimized for expression in E. coli (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1, SEQ ID NO: 3) and that encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc). Other examples of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) may include, without limitation, lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences that encode amino acid sequences of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc). Examples of preferred mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) that encode an amino acid sequence of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) include, without limitation, SEQ ID NO: 4 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 A859G), SEQ ID NO: 6 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1193G), SEQ ID NO: 8 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1306G), SEQ ID NO: 10 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1521G), and SEQ ID NO: 12 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 T1820A).

Additional examples of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) that encode an amino acid sequence of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) may include, without limitation, lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3 comprising one or more mutations selected from the group consisting of a mutation at nucleotide position 859 to Z₁, a mutation at nucleotide position 1193 to Z₂, a mutation at nucleotide position 1306 to Z₃, a mutation at nucleotide position 1521 to Z₄, a mutation at nucleotide position 1820 to Z₅, and/or any combination thereof; lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3 comprising one or more mutations selected from the group consisting of a mutation at nucleotide position 859 mutated to a G (guanine), a mutation at nucleotide position 1193 mutated to a G, a mutation at nucleotide position 1306 mutated to a G, a mutation at nucleotide position 1521 mutated to a G or an A (adenine), a mutation at nucleotide position 1820 mutated to an A, and/or any combination thereof; homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc A859G or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 A859G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc A859Z₁ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 A859Z₁); homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc C1193G or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1193G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc C1193Z₂ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1193Z₂); homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc C1306G or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1306G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc C1306Z₃ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1306Z₃); homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc C1521G or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1521G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc C1521Z₄ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1521Z₄); and homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc T1820A or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 T1820A (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc T1820Z₅ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 T1820Z₅). Z₁, Z₂, Z₃, Z₄, and Z₅ are each independently selected from the group consisting of A, G, C (cytosine), and T (thymine), with the proviso that Z₁ is not an A, Z₂ is not a C, Z₃ is not a C, Z₄ is not a C or T, and Z₅ is not a T. As used herein, a homologous nucleotide sequence may have at least about 90%, at least about 91%, at least about 92%, at least about 93%, at least about 94%, at least about 95%, at least about 96%, at least about 97%, at least about 98%, at least about 99%, about 90%˜99.999%, about 91%˜99.999%, about 92%˜99.999%, about 93%˜99.999%, about 94%˜99.999%, about 95%˜99.999%, about 96%˜99.999%, about 97%˜99.999%, about 98%˜99.999%, or about 99%˜99.999% homology to a specified nucleotide sequence.

In certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide may be a recombinant or no-naturally occurring polynucleotide. In certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide may be cDNA. In certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide may be obtained by codon optimization for optimal polypeptide expression in a particular microorganism (e.g., E. coli, H. alvei, or K. oxytoca).

Nucleotide sequences, polynucleotides, and DNA molecules as used herein are not limited to the functional region, and may include at least one of an expression suppression region, a coding region, a leader sequence, an exon, an intron, and an expression cassette (see, e.g. Papadakis et al., “Promoters and Control Elements: Designing Expression Cassettes for Gene Therapy,” Current Gene Therapy (2004), 4, 89-113). Further, nucleotide sequences or polynucleotides may include double stranded DNA or single stranded DNA (i.e., a sense chain and an antisense chain constituting the double strand DNA), or ribonucleic acid (RNA). A polynucleotide containing nucleotide sequences may include fragments, and/or mutants of the nucleotide sequences. A fragment of a nucleotide sequence means a part of the nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide which provides substantially the same function as the polypeptide encoded by the whole polynucleotide. Examples of mutants of a nucleotide sequence include naturally occurring allelic mutants; artificial mutants; and nucleotide sequences obtained by deletion, substitution, addition, and/or insertion of one or more nucleotides to the nucleotide sequence. It should be understood that such fragments, and/or mutants of a nucleotide sequence encode a polypeptide having substantially the same function as the polypeptide encoded by the original nucleotide sequence. For example, a fragment and/or mutant of K. oxytoca ldc encodes a polypeptide that possesses substantially the same function of K. oxytoca Ldc (i.e., lysine decarboxylase activity).

Codon optimization is a technique that may be used to maximize the protein expression in an organism by increasing the translational efficiency of the gene of interest. Different organisms often show particular preferences for one of the several codons that encode the same amino acid due to mutational biases and natural selection. For example, in fast growing microorganisms such as E. coli, optimal codons reflect the composition of their respective genomic tRNA pool. Therefore, the codons of low frequency of an amino acid may be replaced with codons for the same amino acid but of high frequency in the fast growing microorganism. Accordingly, the expression of the optimized DNA sequence is improved in the fast growing microorganism. See, e.g. www.guptalab.org/shubhg/pdf/shubhra_codon.pdf for an overview of codon optimization technology, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. As provided herein, polynucleotide sequences may be codon optimized for optimal polypeptide expression in a particular microorganism including, but not limited to, E. coli, H. alvei, and K. oxytoca.

In certain embodiments, mutants of a nucleotide sequence can be obtained from codon optimization of the nucleotide sequence to decrease the G and C nucleotide content thereof for improved protein expression. A genome is considered GC-rich if about 50% or more of its bases are G or C. A high GC content in the nucleotide sequence of interest may lead to the formation of secondary structure in the mRNA, which can result in interrupted translation and lower levels of expression. Thus, changing G and C residues in the coding sequence to A and T residues without changing the amino acids may provide higher expression levels.

In certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide described herein may further comprise one or more ribosomal binding site (RBS) DNA nucleotide sequences. As used herein, the RBS DNA nucleotide sequence may be referred to as “RBS DNA,” “RBS DNA sequence,” “RBS DNA nucleotide sequence,” or “RBS DNA polynucleotide sequence.” An RBS is an RNA sequence found in messenger RNA (mRNA) to which ribosomes can bind and initiate translation. In prokaryotes, the RBS is called the Shine-Dalgarno sequence and lies upstream from the start codon of the RNA sequence to be translated. Mutations in the RBS sequence can reduce or increase translation in prokaryotes. The RBS DNA nucleotide sequences provided herein have the same base sequence of the RBS sequences except for uracil (U) in the RNA sequence of the RBS sequence is replaced by thymine (T). For example, if the RBS sequence is “GGAGAU”, the corresponding RBS DNA nucleotide sequence is “GGAGAT.” As shown in the Examples below, expression of K. oxytoca Ldc and mutants thereof from various RBS sequences resulted in different levels of cadaverine production activity (see Example 7). As provided below in Example 7, the plasmid pUC18-KOldc-co1-Pbad contains the RBS DNA nucleotide sequence “GGAGAT” (RBS DNA-1, SEQ ID NO: 14) upstream of the K. oxytoca ldc-co1 sequence. An RBS DNA library was prepared to use for screening for an optimal RBS sequence for K. oxytoca Ldc protein expression that results in increased cadaverine production. At least five plasmids with mutated RBS DNA nucleotide sequences produced higher levels of cadaverine when transformed into E. coli K12 compared to the plasmid containing the RBS DNA nucleotide sequence, RBS DNA-1 (SEQ ID NO: 14). The plasmid (pLN637) that contains the RBS DNA nucleotide sequence, “TGGAGG” (RBS DNA-5, SEQ ID NO: 18), produced the highest yield of cadaverine (see Example 7).

As provided herein in certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide described herein may further comprise one or more RBS DNA nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 14 (i.e., RBS DNA-1), SEQ ID NO: 15 (i.e., RBS DNA-2), SEQ ID NO: 16 (i.e., RBS DNA-3), SEQ ID NO: 17 (i.e., RBS DNA-4), SEQ ID NO: 18 (i.e., RBS DNA-5), and SEQ ID NO: 19 (i.e., RBS DNA-6). In certain preferred embodiments, the one or more RBS DNA nucleotide sequences may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of SEQ ID NO: 18 (i.e., RBS DNA-5). In certain embodiments, the RBS DNA nucleotide sequence may be positioned upstream of the lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc) and fragments thereof, and mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc) and fragments thereof.

As provided herein in certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide described herein may further comprise one or more promoter nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 20 (i.e., Plac promoter sequence), SEQ ID NO: 21 (i.e., Pbad promoter sequence), and SEQ ID NO: 22 (i.e., Ptac promoter sequence). A promoter is a region of DNA that initiates transcription of DNA. The promoter is located upstream of the DNA to be transcribed. In certain preferred embodiments, the one or more promoter nucleotide sequences may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of SEQ ID NO: 21 (i.e., Pbad promoter sequence). In certain embodiments, the promoter nucleotide sequence may be positioned upstream of the lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc) or fragments thereof and mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc) or fragments thereof. When the DNA polynucleotide comprises one or more RBS DNA nucleotide sequences and one or more promoter nucleotide sequences, the one or more promoter nucleotide sequences may be positioned upstream of the lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequence and the RBS DNA nucleotide sequence.

Another aspect provided herein relates to an expression plasmid vector comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of:

a DNA polynucleotide comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of one or more lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) and fragments thereof, and fragments of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., fragments of K. oxytoca ldc), wherein the lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences have at least 95% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, and wherein the polynucleotide encodes one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc) and fragments thereof, and mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) and fragments thereof; and

a backbone plasmid capable of autonomous replication in a host cell,

-   -   wherein the expression plasmid vector is used for production of         a lysine-derived product.

The DNA polynucleotides; lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences; K. oxytoca ldc, mutants, and fragments thereof; lysine decarboxylase polypeptides; K. oxytoca Ldc, mutants, and fragments thereof are the same as described supra. When there are a plurality of polypeptides, each polypeptide may be the same or different, and the one or more polypeptides may be expressed individually or as a fusion protein.

An example of a mutant of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutant of K. oxytoca ldc) may include, without limitation, the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc) that has been codon-optimized for expression in E. coli (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1, SEQ ID NO: 3) and that encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc). Other examples of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) may include, without limitation, lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences that encode amino acid sequences of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc). Examples of preferred mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) that encode an amino acid sequence of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) include, without limitation, SEQ ID NO: 4 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 A859G), SEQ ID NO: 6 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1193G), SEQ ID NO: 8 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1306G), SEQ ID NO: 10 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1521G), and SEQ ID NO: 12 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 T1820A).

Additional examples of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) that encode an amino acid sequence of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) may include, without limitation, lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3 comprising one or more mutations selected from the group consisting of a mutation at nucleotide position 859 to Z₁, a mutation at nucleotide position 1193 to Z₂, a mutation at nucleotide position 1306 to Z₃, a mutation at nucleotide position 1521 to Z₄, a mutation at nucleotide position 1820 to Z₅, and/or any combination thereof; lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3 comprising one or more mutations selected from the group consisting of a mutation at nucleotide position 859 mutated to a G (guanine), a mutation at nucleotide position 1193 mutated to a G, a mutation at nucleotide position 1306 mutated to a G, a mutation at nucleotide position 1521 mutated to a G or an A (adenine), a mutation at nucleotide position 1820 mutated to an A, and/or any combination thereof; homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc A859G or K. oxytoca ldc-co-1 A859G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc A859Z₁ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 A859Z₁); homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc C1193G or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1193G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc C1193Z₂ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1193Z₂); homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc C1306G or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1306G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc C1306Z₃ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1306Z₃); homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc C1521G or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1521G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc C1521Z₄ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1521Z₄); and homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc T1820A or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 T1820A (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc T1820Z₅ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 T1820Z₅). Z₁, Z₂, Z₃, Z₄, and Z₅ are each independently selected from the group consisting of A, G, C (cytosine), and T (thymine), with the proviso that Z₁ is not an A, Z₂ is not a C, Z₃ is not a C, Z₄ is not a C or T, and Z₅ is not a T.

Examples of preferred mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) include, without limitation, SEQ ID NO: 5 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc K287E); SEQ ID NO: 7 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc T398S); SEQ ID NO: 9 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc R436G); SEQ ID NO: 11 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc F507L); and SEQ ID NO: 13 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc F607Y). Additional examples of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) include, without limitation, mutants comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 comprising one or more mutations selected from the group consisting of a mutation at amino acid position 287 to X₁, a mutation at amino acid position 398 to X₂, a mutation at amino acid position 436 to X₃, a mutation at amino acid position 507 to X₄, a mutation at amino acid position 607 to X₅; homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 5 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc K287X₁); homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 7 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc T398X₂); homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 9 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc R436X₃); homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 11 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc F507X₄); and homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 13 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc F607X₅). X₁, X₂, X₃, X₄, and X₅ are each independently selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine, with the proviso that X₁ is not lysine, X₂ is not threonine, X₃ is not arginine, X₄ is not phenylalanine, and X₅ is not phenylalanine.

As used herein, the term “host cell” refers to a microorganism cell that may be any cell that can be transformed with an expression plasmid vector (e.g., Escherichia (e.g., E. coli), Klebsiella (e.g., K. oxytoca), Pseudomonas (e.g., P. aeruginosa), Corynebacterium (e.g., Corynebacterium glutamicum), Bacilli, Hafnia (e.g., Hafnia alvei), Brevibacterium, Lactobacillus (e.g., Lactobacillus pentosus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus saerimneri), Lactococcus (e.g., Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris, Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis), and Streptococcus (e.g., Streptococcus thermophilus)).

An E. coli cell may be any of the E. coli strains derived from E. coli K12 (e.g., MG1655, W3110, DH10b, DH1, BW2952 and strains derived therefrom) or E. coli B, or strains derived therefrom.

A lysine derived product as used herein may be cadaverine. For example, the expression plasmid vector described herein may be used for production of cadaverine.

In certain embodiments, the host cell may contain one or more endogenous plasmids. In certain embodiments, the host cell does not contain endogenous plasmids. The term “cure” as used herein means to remove one or more endogenous plasmids from a host cell. In certain embodiments, a host cell may be “cured” of all endogenous plasmids by removing all endogenous plasmids from the host cell. In certain embodiments, a host cell may be “cured” of one or more endogenous plasmids by removing only the one or more endogenous plasmids that is targeted for removal from the cell.

In certain embodiments, the host cell may be a prokaryotic cell (e.g. is, H. alvei) containing endogenous plasmids that encode specific toxin/antitoxin gene pairs. Such toxin/antitoxin gene pairs play a role in maintenance of the genetic information and response to stress. (See, Wertz et al. “Chimeric nature of two plasmids of Hafnia alvei encoding the bacteriocins alveicins A and B.” Journal of Bacteriology, (2004) 186: 1598-1605.) As long as the cell has one or more plasmids comprising an antitoxin gene, the toxin is neutralized by the antitoxin that is continuously expressed by the one or more plasmids to keep the cells alive. In certain prokaryotes, the antitoxin protein degrades faster than the toxin protein. If the plasmid comprising the antitoxin gene is lost from the cell, the toxin protein will exist longer than the antitoxin protein in the cell and kill or inhibit the growth of the cell. Therefore, plasmids comprising the antitoxin or the toxin/antitoxin gene are preferably maintained to keep the host cell alive.

As used herein, a toxin/antitoxin gene pair has two genes, one is a toxin gene which expresses a polypeptide toxic to a host cell, and the other is an antitoxin gene which neutralizes the toxic polypeptide in the host cell. Examples of the toxin/antitoxin gene pair include, without limitation, abt/abi gene pair and aat/aai gene pair, fragments thereof, and mutants thereof. In some embodiments, the toxin polynucleotide sequence comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23 or SEQ ID NO: 25, fragments thereof, or mutants thereof. In some embodiments, the antitoxin polynucleotide sequence comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 24 or SEQ ID NO: 26, fragments thereof, or mutants thereof.

In certain embodiments, the host cell may be any H. alvei strain, e.g., endogenous plasmid-free H. alvei strains or H. alvei strains containing endogenous plasmids. For example, the host cell may be an H. alvei strain containing one or more pAlvA plasm ids or the cured strains thereof (pAlvA-strains), or an H. alvei strain containing one or more pAlvB plasm ids and the cured strains thereof (pAlvB-strains).

In certain embodiments, the expression plasmid vector disclosed herein (e.g. the expression plasmid vector) may further comprise one or more antitoxin genes selected from the group consisting of abi gene, aai gene, mutations and fragments thereof, and/or one or more toxin/antitoxin gene pairs selected from the group consisting of abt/abi gene pair and aat/aai gene pair, and mutations and fragments thereof. For example, in certain embodiments, an expression plasmid vector (e.g. the expression plasmid vector) may further comprise an antitoxin polynucleotide that counteracts a toxin polypeptide that is harmful to the host cell, and a toxin polynucleotide sequence encoding the toxin polypeptide.

In certain embodiments, the host cell may be an industrial strain suitable to be used in industrial-scale or large-scale production. For example, industrial strains may be cultivated in a fermenter. The scale of culture may range from hundreds of liters to millions of liters. On the other hand, a laboratory strain usually is cultivated in a few liters or less. In certain embodiments, an industrial strain may grow in a simpler or more economical medium than laboratory strains.

A backbone plasmid capable of autonomous replication in a host cell may be any plasmid that can replicate in the host cell. In one embodiment, an expression plasmid vector comprises a backbone plasmid that can replicate in E. coli. In another embodiment, an expression plasmid vector comprises a backbone plasmid that can replicate in H. alvei. Examples of the backbone plasmids include, without limitation, backbone plasmids that can replicate in E. coli strains, e.g. pUC (e.g. pUC18 and pUC19 plasmids), pBR322, pSC101, pET, p15a, and pACYC plasmids, and plasmids derived therefrom.

In certain embodiments, the expression plasmid vector may be used for the production of a lysine derived product as described herein. In certain embodiments, a lysine derived product may be cadaverine as described herein.

As provided above, in certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide described herein may further comprise one or more RBS DNA nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 14 (i.e., RBS DNA-1), SEQ ID NO: 15 (i.e., RBS DNA-2), SEQ ID NO: 16 (i.e., RBS DNA-3), SEQ ID NO: 17 (i.e., RBS DNA-4), SEQ ID NO: 18 (i.e., RBS DNA-5), and SEQ ID NO: 19 (i.e., RBS DNA-6). In certain preferred embodiments, the one or more RBS DNA nucleotide sequences may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of SEQ ID NO: 18 (i.e., RBS DNA-5).

As provided above, in certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide described herein may further comprise one or more promoter nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 20 (i.e., Plac promoter sequence), SEQ ID NO: 21 (i.e., Pbad promoter sequence), and SEQ ID NO: 22 (i.e., Ptac promoter sequence). In certain preferred embodiments, the one or more promoter nucleotide sequences may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of SEQ ID NO: 21 (i.e., Pbad promoter sequence).

Another aspect provided herein relates to a transformant comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of one or more expression plasmid vectors in a host cell, the expression plasmid vectors comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of:

a DNA polynucleotide comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of one or more lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) and fragments thereof, and fragments of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., fragments of K. oxytoca ldc), wherein the lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences have at least 95% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, and wherein the polynucleotide encodes one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc) and fragments thereof, and mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) and fragments thereof; and

a backbone plasmid capable of autonomous replication in a host cell,

wherein the expression plasmid vector is used for production of a lysine-derived product.

The expression plasmid vectors; host cell; backbone plasmid; DNA polynucleotides; lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences; K. oxytoca ldc, mutants, and fragments thereof; lysine decarboxylase polypeptides; K. oxytoca Ldc, mutants, and fragments thereof are the same as described supra.

An example of a mutant of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutant of K. oxytoca ldc) may include, without limitation, the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc) that has been codon-optimized for expression in E. coli (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1, SEQ ID NO: 3) and that encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc). Other examples of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) may include, without limitation, lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences that encode amino acid sequences of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc). Examples of preferred mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) that encode an amino acid sequence of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) include, without limitation, SEQ ID NO: 4 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 A859G), SEQ ID NO: 6 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co-1 C1193G), SEQ ID NO: 8 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1306G), SEQ ID NO: 10 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1521G), and SEQ ID NO: 12 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 T1820A).

Additional examples of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) that encode an amino acid sequence of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) may include, without limitation, lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3 comprising one or more mutations selected from the group consisting of a mutation at nucleotide position 859 to Z₁, a mutation at nucleotide position 1193 to Z₂, a mutation at nucleotide position 1306 to Z₃, a mutation at nucleotide position 1521 to Z₄, a mutation at nucleotide position 1820 to Z₅, and/or any combination thereof; lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3 comprising one or more mutations selected from the group consisting of a mutation at nucleotide position 859 mutated to a G (guanine), a mutation at nucleotide position 1193 mutated to a G, a mutation at nucleotide position 1306 mutated to a G, a mutation at nucleotide position 1521 mutated to a G or an A (adenine), a mutation at nucleotide position 1820 mutated to an A, and/or any combination thereof; homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc A859G or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 A859G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc A859Z₁ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 A859Z₁); homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc C1193G or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1193G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc C1193Z₂ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1193Z₂); homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc C1306G or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1306G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc C1306Z₃ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1306Z₃); homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc C1521G or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1521G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc C1521Z₄ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1521Z₄); and homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc T1820A or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 T1820A (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc T1820Z₅ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 T1820Z₅). Z₁, Z₂, Z₃, Z₄, and Z₅ are each independently selected from the group consisting of A, G, C (cytosine), and T (thymine), with the proviso that Z₁ is not an A, Z₂ is not a C, Z₃ is not a C, Z₄ is not a C or T, and Z₅ is not a T.

Examples of preferred mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) include, without limitation, SEQ ID NO: 5 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc K287E); SEQ ID NO: 7 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc T398S); SEQ ID NO: 9 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc R436G); SEQ ID NO: 11 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc F507L); and SEQ ID NO: 13 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc F607Y). Additional examples of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) include, without limitation, mutants comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 comprising one or more mutations selected from the group consisting of a mutation at amino acid position 287 to X₁, a mutation at amino acid position 398 to X₂, a mutation at amino acid position 436 to X₃, a mutation at amino acid position 507 to X₄, a mutation at amino acid position 607 to X₅; homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 5 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc K287X₁); homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 7 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc T398X₂); homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 9 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc R436X₃); homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 11 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc F507X₄); and homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 13 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc F607X₅). X₁, X₂, X₃, X₄, and X₅ are each independently selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine, with the proviso that X₁ is not lysine, X₂ is not threonine, X₃ is not arginine, X₄ is not phenylalanine, and X₅ is not phenylalanine.

As provided above, in certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide described herein may further comprise one or more RBS DNA nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 14 (i.e., RBS DNA-1), SEQ ID NO: 15 (i.e., RBS DNA-2), SEQ ID NO: 16 (i.e., RBS DNA-3), SEQ ID NO: 17 (i.e., RBS DNA-4), SEQ ID NO: 18 (i.e., RBS DNA-5), and SEQ ID NO: 19 (i.e., RBS DNA-6). In certain preferred embodiments, the one or more RBS DNA nucleotide sequences may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of SEQ ID NO: 18 (i.e., RBS DNA-5).

As provided above, in certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide described herein may further comprise one or more promoter nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 20 (i.e., Plac promoter sequence), SEQ ID NO: 21 (i.e., Pbad promoter sequence), and SEQ ID NO: 22 (i.e., Ptac promoter sequence). In certain preferred embodiments, the one or more promoter nucleotide sequences may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of SEQ ID NO: 21 (i.e., Pbad promoter sequence).

As used herein, a transformant may be a host cell that has been altered by introducing one or more expression plasmid vectors in the host cell. In certain embodiments, the transformant may be obtained by introducing an expression plasmid vector through transformation into a host cell displaying competence to the plasmid vector.

In certain embodiments, the transformant may be used for the production of a lysine derived product as described herein. In certain embodiments, a lysine derived product may be cadaverine as described herein.

Another aspect provided herein relates to a mutant host cell comprising, consisting of, consisting essentially of:

a DNA polynucleotide comprising one or more lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) and fragments thereof, and fragments of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., fragments of K. oxytoca ldc), wherein the lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences have at least 95% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, and wherein the polynucleotide encodes one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc) and fragments thereof, and mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) and fragments thereof.

The host cell; DNA polynucleotides; lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences; K. oxytoca ldc, fragments, and mutants thereof; lysine decarboxylase polypeptides; K. oxytoca Ldc, fragments, and mutants thereof are the same as described supra.

An example of a mutant of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutant of K. oxytoca ldc) may include, without limitation, the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc) that has been codon-optimized for expression in E. coli (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1, SEQ ID NO: 3) and that encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc). Other examples of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) may include, without limitation, lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences that encode amino acid sequences of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc). Examples of preferred mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) that encode an amino acid sequence of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) include, without limitation, SEQ ID NO: 4 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 A859G), SEQ ID NO: 6 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1193G), SEQ ID NO: 8 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1306G), SEQ ID NO: 10 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1521G), and SEQ ID NO: 12 (i.e., K. oxytoca ldc-co1 T1820A).

Additional examples of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca ldc) that encode an amino acid sequence of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) may include, without limitation, lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3 comprising one or more mutations selected from the group consisting of a mutation at nucleotide position 859 to Z₁, a mutation at nucleotide position 1193 to Z₂, a mutation at nucleotide position 1306 to Z₃, a mutation at nucleotide position 1521 to Z₄, a mutation at nucleotide position 1820 to Z₅, and/or any combination thereof; lysine decarboxylase nucleotide sequences comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3 comprising one or more mutations selected from the group consisting of a mutation at nucleotide position 859 mutated to a G (guanine), a mutation at nucleotide position 1193 mutated to a G, a mutation at nucleotide position 1306 mutated to a G, a mutation at nucleotide position 1521 mutated to a G or an A (adenine), a mutation at nucleotide position 1820 mutated to an A, and/or any combination thereof; homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc A859G or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 A859G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc A859Z₁ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 A859Z₁); homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc C1193G or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1193G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc C1193Z₂ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1193Z₂); homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc C1306G or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1306G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc C1306Z₃ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1306Z₃); homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc C1521G or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1521G (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc C1521Z₄ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1521Z₄); and homologous nucleotide sequences of K. oxytoca ldc T1820A or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 T1820A (e.g., K. oxytoca ldc T1820Z₅ or K. oxytoca ldc-co1 T1820Z₅). Z₁, Z₂, Z₃, Z₄, and Z₅ are each independently selected from the group consisting of A, G, C (cytosine), and T (thymine), with the proviso that Z₁ is not an A, Z₂ is not a C, Z₃ is not a C, Z₄ is not a C or T, and Z₅ is not a T.

Examples of preferred mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) include, without limitation, SEQ ID NO: 5 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc K287E); SEQ ID NO: 7 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc T398S); SEQ ID NO: 9 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc R436G); SEQ ID NO: 11 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc F507L); and SEQ ID NO: 13 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc F607Y). Additional examples of mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) include, without limitation, mutants comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 comprising one or more mutations selected from the group consisting of a mutation at amino acid position 287 to X₁, a mutation at amino acid position 398 to X₂, a mutation at amino acid position 436 to X₃, a mutation at amino acid position 507 to X₄, a mutation at amino acid position 607 to X₅; homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 5 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc K287X₁); homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 7 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc T398X₂); homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 9 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc R436X₃); homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 11 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc F507X₄); and homologous polypeptides of SEQ ID NO: 13 (e.g., K. oxytoca Ldc F607X₅). X₁, X₂, X₃, X₄, and X₅ are each independently selected from the group consisting of alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine, with the proviso that X₁ is not lysine, X₂ is not threonine, X₃ is not arginine, X₄ is not phenylalanine, and X₅ is not phenylalanine.

As provided above, in certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide described herein may further comprise one or more RBS DNA nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 14 (i.e., RBS DNA-1), SEQ ID NO: 15 (i.e., RBS DNA-2), SEQ ID NO: 16 (i.e., RBS DNA-3), SEQ ID NO: 17 (i.e., RBS DNA-4), SEQ ID NO: 18 (i.e., RBS DNA-5), and SEQ ID NO: 19 (i.e., RBS DNA-6).

As provided above, in certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide described herein may further comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of one or more promoter nucleotide sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 20 (i.e., Plac promoter sequence), SEQ ID NO: 21 (i.e., Pbad promoter sequence), and SEQ ID NO: 22 (i.e., Ptac promoter sequence). In certain preferred embodiments, the one or more promoter nucleotide sequences may comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of SEQ ID NO: 21 (i.e., Pbad promoter sequence).

In certain embodiments, the mutant host cell may be used for the production of a lysine derived product as described herein. In certain embodiments, a lysine derived product may be cadaverine as described herein.

In certain embodiments, the DNA polynucleotide may be integrated into the host cell chromosome according to the PCR-mediated gene replacement method (see, e.g. Datsenko, 2000 for an overview of the PCR-mediated gene replacement method, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Integrated chromosomes may also be produced by other suitable methods.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for producing one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides described herein comprising:

obtaining a mutant host cell and/or the transformant as described herein;

culturing the mutant host cell and/or transformant under conditions effective for the expression of the one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides; and

harvesting the one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides.

The lysine decarboxylase polypeptides; K. oxytoca Ldc, mutants, and fragments thereof; mutant host cell and/or transformants are the same as described supra.

In certain embodiments, the transformant and/or mutant host cell may be any of those as described herein. For example, the transformant used to produce one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides may be obtained by transforming one or more expression plasmid vectors as disclosed herein into a host cell.

The transformant and/or mutant host cell may be cultured using a medium containing carbon sources and non-carbon nutrient sources. Examples of carbon sources include, without limitation, sugar (e.g. carbohydrates such as glucose and fructose), oil and/or fat, fatty acid, and/or derivatives thereof. The oil and fat may contain saturated and/or unsaturated fatty acids having 10 or more carbon atoms, e.g. coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, and the like. The fatty acid may be a saturated and/or unsaturated fatty acid, e.g. hexanoic acid, octanoic acid, decanoic acid, lauric acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, myristic acid, and the like. Examples of derivatives of a fatty acid include, without limitation, esters and salts thereof. Examples of non-carbon sources include, without limitation, nitrogen sources, inorganic salts, and other organic nutrient sources.

For example, a medium may contain a carbon source assimilable by the transformant and/or mutant host cell, optionally with one or more other source selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen source, an inorganic salt and another organic nutrient source. In certain embodiments, the weight percentage of the nitrogen source is about 0.01 to about 0.1% of the medium. Examples of the nitrogen source may comprise ammonia, ammonium salts (e.g. ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate and ammonium phosphate), peptone, meat extract, yeast extract, and the like. Examples of the inorganic salts include, without limitation, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, magnesium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride, and the like. Examples of the other organic nutrient source include, without limitation, amino acids (e.g. glycine, alanine, serine, threonine and proline), vitamins (e.g. vitamin B1, vitamin B12 and vitamin C), and the like.

The culture may be carried out at any temperature as long as the cells can grow, and preferably at about 20° C. to about 40° C., or about 35° C. The culture period may be about 1, about 2, about 3, about 4, about 5, about 6, about 7, about 8, about 9, or about 10 days.

In one embodiment, the transformant and/or mutant host cell is cultured in a medium containing peptides, peptones, vitamins (e.g. B vitamins), trace elements (e.g. nitrogen, sulfur, magnesium), and minerals. Examples of such medium include, without limitation, commonly known Lysogeny broth (LB) mediums comprising tryptone, yeast extract and NaCl suspended in water (e.g. distilled or deionized).

Another aspect provided herein relates to a method for producing cadaverine (1,5-pentanediamine) comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of:

1a) cultivating a transformant and/or mutant host cell as disclosed herein,

1b) producing cadaverine using the culture obtained from step 1a to decarboxylate lysine, and

1c) extracting and purifying cadaverine using the culture obtained from step 1b.

In certain embodiments, the transformant and/or mutant host cell may be any of those as described herein.

Cultivating the transformant and/or mutant host cell may comprise the steps of culturing the transformant as described supra.

For example, the transformant and/or mutant host cell may be cultured using a medium containing carbon sources and non-carbon nutrient sources. Examples of carbon sources include, without limitation, sugar (e.g. carbohydrates such as glucose and fructose), oil and/or fat, fatty acid, and/or derivatives thereof. The oil and fat may contain saturated and/or unsaturated fatty acids having 10 or more carbon atoms, e.g. coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, and the like. The fatty acid may be a saturated and/or unsaturated fatty acid, e.g. hexanoic acid, octanoic acid, decanoic acid, lauric acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, myristic acid, and the like. Examples of derivatives of a fatty acid include, without limitation, esters and salts thereof. Examples of non-carbon sources include, without limitation, nitrogen sources, inorganic salts, and other organic nutrient sources.

For example, a medium may contain a carbon source assimilable by the transformant and/or mutant host cell, optionally with one or more other source selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen source, an inorganic salt and another organic nutrient source. In certain embodiments, the weight percentage of the nitrogen source is about 0.01 to about 0.1% of the medium. Examples of the nitrogen source may comprise ammonia, ammonium salts (e.g. ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate and ammonium phosphate), peptone, meat extract, yeast extract, and the like. Examples of the inorganic salts include, without limitation, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, magnesium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride, and the like. Examples of the other organic nutrient source include, without limitation, amino acids (e.g. glycine, alanine, serine, threonine and proline), vitamins (e.g. vitamin B1, vitamin B12 and vitamin C), and the like.

The culture may be carried out at any temperature as long as the cells can grow, and preferably at about 20° C. to about 40° C., or about 35° C. The culture period may be about 1, about 2, about 3, about 4, about 5, about 6, about 7, about 8, about 9, or about 10 days.

In one embodiment, the transformant and/or mutant host cell is cultured in a medium containing peptides, peptones, vitamins (e.g. B vitamins), trace elements (e.g. nitrogen, sulfur, magnesium), and minerals. Examples of such medium include, without limitation, commonly known Lysogeny broth (LB) mediums comprising tryptone, yeast extract and NaCl suspended in water (e.g. distilled or deionized).

As used herein, “using the culture obtained from step 1a” may comprise further processes of the culture obtained from step 1a. For example, using a buffer solution to dilute the culture; centrifuging the culture to collect the cells; resuspending the cells in a buffer solution; or lysing the cells into cell lysate; or/and purifying lysine decarboxylase from the cell lysate.

In another embodiment, step 1c of the method further comprises the following steps:

1d) separating the solid and liquid components of the reaction obtained from step 1b;

1e) adjusting the pH of the liquid component obtained from step 1d to about 14 or higher;

1f) removing water from the liquid component obtained from step 1e; and

1g) recovering cadaverine.

In step 1d, the separation of the solid and liquid components of the In step 1e, the pH of the liquid component of step 1d may be adjusted by adding a base, e.g. NaOH. NaOH may be added as a solid and/or a solution (e.g. an aqueous solution).

In step 1f, the water may be removed by distillation at ambient pressure or under vacuum.

In step 1g, cadaverine may be recovered by distillation at ambient pressure or under vacuum.

Another aspect provided herein relates to a method for producing cadaverine (1,5-pentanediamine) comprising, consisting of, or consisting essentially of:

2a) obtaining one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides comprising the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc) and fragments thereof, and mutants of SEQ ID NO: 2 (i.e., mutants of K. oxytoca Ldc) and fragments thereof; and

2b) producing cadaverine using the one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides obtained in step 2a to decarboxylate lysine.

The lysine decarboxylase polypeptides; K. oxytoca Ldc, mutants, and fragments thereof are the same as described supra.

In certain embodiments, the method for producing cadaverine may further include the step of 2c comprising extracting and purifying cadaverine produced in step 2b.

In another embodiment, step 2c of the method further comprises the following steps:

2d) separating the solid and liquid components of the reaction obtained from step 2b;

2e) adjusting the pH of the liquid component obtained from step 2d to about 14 or higher;

2f) removing water from the liquid component obtained from step 2e; and

2g) recovering cadaverine.

In step 2d, the separation of the solid and liquid components of the reaction of step 2b may be accomplished by conventional centrifugation and/or filtration.

In step 2e, the pH of the liquid component of step 2d may be adjusted by adding a base, e.g. NaOH. NaOH may be added as a solid and/or a solution (e.g. an aqueous solution).

In step 2f, the water may be removed by distillation at ambient pressure or under vacuum.

In step 2g, cadaverine may be recovered by distillation at ambient pressure or under vacuum.

In certain embodiments, the one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides used to produce cadaverine may be immobilized. In certain embodiments, the one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides may be confined to a matrix. In certain embodiments, the one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides may be immobilized using any suitable method known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Examples of immobilization techniques include, without limitation, adsorption (e.g., from ionic or hydrophobic interactions), covalent binding, affinity immobilization (e.g., the matrix is coupled to an affinity ligand for the one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides, or the one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides are conjugated to a molecule having affinity for the matrix), and entrapment (i.e. caging of the one or more lysine decarboxylase polypeptides by covalent or noncovalent interactions with the matrix). Examples of materials that may be used as a matrix include, without limitation, alginate, chitosan, chitin, collagen, carrageenan, gelatin, cellulose, starch, pectin, sepharose, zeolites, ceramics, celite, silica, glass, activated carbon, and charcoal.

Another aspect provided herein relates to biobased cadaverine prepared according to the method disclosed herein.

As used herein, a “biobased” compound means the compound is considered biobased under Standard ASTM D6866.

Another aspect provided herein relates to a polyamide having a structure of Structure 1:

including stereoisomers thereof, wherein:

m=4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, or 22;

n=4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, or 22;

j=about 100˜about 1,000,000; and

the polyamide is prepared from one or more diamines having carbon

numbers of m and one or more dicarboxylic acids having carbon numbers of n, at least one of the diamines and dicarboxylic acids comprises biobased carbon under Standard ASTM D6866, and the m or n of each diamine or dicarboxylic acid can be the same or different.

In one embodiment, the diamine is biobased cadaverine, more preferably biobased cadaverine prepared according to the method disclosed herein. Examples of the dicarboxylic acids include, without limitation, C₁₀dicarboxylic acid, C₁₁dicarboxylic acid, C₁₂dicarboxylic acid, C₁₃dicarboxylic acid, C₁₄dicarboxylic acid, C₁₆dicarboxylic acid, C₁₈dicarboxylic acid, and any combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, all or part of the C_(n)dicarboxylic acids are biobased.

In another embodiments, the polyamide has a structure described above, wherein:

the polyamide is formed by reacting biobased cadaverine with one or more dicarboxylic acids, more preferably the biobased cadaverine is prepared according to the method disclosed herein;

n=4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, or 22;

j=about 100˜about 1,000,000, about 1000˜about 100,000, or about 1000˜about 10,000; and

the dicarboxylic acids comprise biobased carbon under Standard ASTM D6866.

Another aspect provided herein relates to a method of making the polyamides disclosed herein comprising preparing biobased cadaverine as the C_(m)diamine according to the method disclosed herein.

In one embodiment, the method further comprises preparing one or more biobased C_(n)dicarboxylic acids.

In another embodiment, the method further comprises preparing the polyamide by reacting biobased cadaverine with one or more biobased C_(n)dicarboxylic acids.

Another aspect provided herein relates to a composition comprising one or more polyamides disclosed herein.

In one embodiment, the diamine is biobased cadaverine, more preferably biobased cadaverine prepared according to the method disclosed herein. Examples of the dicarboxylic acids include, without limitation, C₁₀dicarboxylic acid, C₁₁dicarboxylic acid, C₁₂dicarboxylic acid, C₁₃dicarboxylic acid, C₁₄dicarboxylic acid, C₁₆dicarboxylic acid, C₁₈dicarboxylic acid, and any combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, all or part of the C_(n)dicarboxylic acids are biobased.

In another embodiment, the polyamide has a structure described above, wherein:

the polyamide is formed by reacting biobased cadaverine with one or more dicarboxylic acids, more preferably the biobased cadaverine is prepared according to the method disclosed herein;

n=4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, or 22;

j=about 100˜about 1,000,000, about 1000˜about 100,000, or about 1000˜about 10,000; and

the dicarboxylic acids comprise biobased carbon under Standard ASTM D6866.

Another aspect provided herein relates to a method of preparing 1,5-diisocyanatopentane comprising:

3a) preparing biobased cadaverine as disclosed herein; and

3b) converting biobased cadaverine obtained from step 3a to 1,5-diisocyanatopentane.

Step 3b may comprise using any known method to convert diamine into isocyanate. An example of said method is the traditional phosgene method, which includes one-step high temperature phosgene method (i.e. mixing phosgene with diamine at high temperature to obtain isocyanate), the improved two-step phosgene method, and the triphosgene method in which triphosgene is used instead of phosgene. There are also other methods that do not use phosgene as a raw material. An example of said method is hexanediamine carbonylation which uses CO₂ instead of phosgene: CO₂ is added into a solution of a primary amine and an organic base, then a proper amount of phosphorus electrophilic reagents is added into the reaction solution to start an exothermic dehydration reaction to obtain isocyanate. Another example is carbamate thermal decomposition method wherein a primary amine is converted to a carbamate, and then the carbamate is heated to decompose and generate isocyanate.

The abbreviations used for the amino acids, polypeptides, base sequences, and nucleic acids are based on the abbreviations specified in the IUPAC-IUB Communication on Biochemical Nomenclature, Eur. J. Biochem., 138:9 (1984), “Guideline for Preparing Specifications Including Base Sequences and Amino Acid Sequences” (United States Patent and Trademark Office), and those commonly used in this technical field.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense (i.e., to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to”), as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense. The words “herein,” “above,” “below,” “supra,” and words of similar import; when used in this application, refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Where the context permits, words in the above Detailed Description using the singular or plural number may also include the plural or singular number respectively. The words “or,” and “and/or” in reference to a list of two or more items, covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list.

The following examples are intended to illustrate various embodiments of the invention. As such, the specific embodiments discussed are not to be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various equivalents, changes, and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of invention, and it is understood that such equivalent embodiments are to be included herein. Further, all references cited in the disclosure are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety, as if fully set forth herein.

EXAMPLES Example 1: Overexpression of K. Oxytoca Lysine Decarboxylase in E. Coli

K. oxytoca genomic DNA was purchased from DSMZ (DSM 6673). The genomic DNA was used as a template in a PCR reaction with the primers KOldc-F and KOldc-R (see FIG. 1). The primers were designed based on GenBank accession CP003683.1, which is the portion of the K. oxytoca E718 genome that contains the wild-type lysine decarboxylase (ldc) gene. The K. oxytoca ldc nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO: 1) encodes the lysine decarboxylase protein, K. oxytoca Ldc (SEQ ID NO: 2). The amplified PCR product was cloned into the plasmid pUC18 using the restriction enzymes Sacl and Xbal to create pUC18-KOldc. After the lysine decarboxylase sequence was verified, pUC18-KOldc was transformed into E. coli MG1655 K12 (DSM 18039) (K12) to create strain LN18 (see FIG. 2). The sequence of K. oxytoca ldc was codon optimized for expression in E. coli (K. oxytoca ldc-co-1; SEQ ID NO: 3). The codon-optimized gene (K. oxytoca ldc-co-1) was cloned into pUC18 as described above to create the plasmid pUC18-KOldc-co1, and the plasmid was transformed into E. coli K12 to make the strain LN20 (see FIG. 2). A plasmid vector containing wild-type E. coli cadA, which encodes the lysine decarboxylase polypeptide CadA, was constructed by cloning wild-type E. coli cadA into pUC18 to generate the positive control, pCIB60. pCIB60 was transformed into E. coli K12 to generate strain CIB60 (see FIG. 2).

Three colonies of each strain were grown overnight in LB medium with ampicillin in a 3 mL culture at 37° C. The following day, 40 μL of each overnight culture was inoculated into 3 mL fresh LB medium with ampicillin to a final OD₆₀₀˜0.05, grown for 3 hours to an OD₆₀₀˜0.4, and 0.5 mM isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) was added. Each culture was incubated at 37° C. for an additional 8 hours. To test activity, 0.9 mL of culture was mixed with lysine-HCl (15 mg) and pyridoxal 5-phosphate (PLP) (0.1 mM final concentration) to give a final reaction volume of 1 mL. Each reaction was allowed to proceed at 37° C. for 2 hours. The reaction was stopped by boiling the sample for 5 minutes. Samples were processed immediately using NMR.

TABLE 1 Cadaverine production using strain CIB60 (E. coli strain comprising E. coli cadA), strain LN18 (E. coli strain comprising K. oxytoca ldc), and strain LN20 (E. coli strain comprising K. oxytoca ldc-co1). Cadaverine Strain Plasmid Enzyme Gene (g/kg) N.C. 1 None None None n.d. N.C. 2 pUC18 None None n.d. CIB60 pUC18- CadA E. coli 5.69 ± 0.2 CadA cadA LN18 pUC18- K. oxytoca K. oxytoca 4.41 ± 0.4 KOldc Ldc ldc LN20 pUC18- K. oxytoca K. oxytoca 6.63 ± 0.2 Koldc-co1 Ldc ldc-co1 N.C. 1 = negative control of host strain MG1655 K12 without any plasmid. N.C. 2 = negative control of host strain MG1655 K12 with pUC18 plasmid. n.d. = not detected

As shown in Table 1, cells expressing the K. oxytoca Ldc protein encoded by K. oxytoca ldc-co1 DNA produced the highest yield of cadaverine (6.63 g/kg) compared to cells expressing the K. oxytoca Ldc protein encoded by wild-type K. oxytoca ldc DNA (4.41 g/kg) or cells expressing the E. coli CadA protein (5.69 g/kg).

Example 2: Cadaverine Production Using the LN20 Strain Comprising K. Oxytoca lcd-co1 and a Plac Promoter

Three colonies of the LN20 strain comprising K. oxytoca ldc-co1 and a Plac promoter (see FIG. 2) were grown overnight in LB medium with ampicillin in a 3 mL culture at 37° C. The following day, 160 μL of each overnight culture was inoculated into 12 mL fresh LB medium with ampicillin to a final OD₆₀₀˜0.05, and grown for 3 hours to an OD₆₀₀˜0.4. At an OD₆₀₀˜0.4, each 12 mL culture was split into four separate 3 mL cultures, and IPTG was added to each culture at the following final concentrations: 0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.5 mM. Each culture was incubated at 37° C. for additional 8 hours. The same protocol was used as described in Example 1 to test cadaverine production.

TABLE 2 Cadaverine production using strain LN20 (E. coli strain comprising K. oxytoca ldc-co1 and a Plac promoter) IPTG concentration (mM) Cadaverine (g/kg) 0   3.35 ± 0.5 0.1 5.96 ± 0.4 0.2 6.68 ± 0.1 0.5 6.82 ± 0.3

As shown in Table 2, the highest yield of cadaverine was produced when the LN20 cells (E. coli strain comprising K. oxytoca ldc-co-1 and a Plac promoter) were induced at an IPTG concentration of 0.5 mM.

Example 3: Cadaverine Production Using the LN22 Strain Comprising K. Oxytoca ldc-co1 and a Pbad Promoter

Next, a strain was created comprising K. oxytoca ldc-co1 and a Pbad promoter (LN22 strain, see FIG. 2). A Xhol restriction site was inserted 27 base pairs upstream of the start of the lac promoter in the plasmid pUC18-KOldc-co1 using the primers Xhol-F and Xhol-R (see FIG. 1). QuickChange PCR was performed using pUC18-KOldc-co1, the plasmid containing the K. oxytoca ldc-co1 gene, as the template DNA. The resulting plasmid containing the inserted Xhol sequence was called pUC18-KOldc-co1-Xhol. The Pbad promoter and the upstream araC gene were amplified from a pKD46 expression plasmid using the primers Pbad-F and Pbad-R (see FIG. 1), and cloned into pUC18-KOldc-co1-Xhol using the restriction enzymes Xhol and Sacl to create the plasmid pUC18-KOldc-co1-Pbad. The plasmid pUC18-KOldc-co1-Pbad was transformed into the E. coli strain K12 to create the strain LN22 (see FIG. 2). Cadaverine production and analyses experiments were performed in the same way as described in Example 2, except arabinose was added instead of IPTG at the following final concentrations: 0, 2.5 5.0, and 10.0 mM.

TABLE 3 Cadaverine production using strain LN22 (E. coli strain comprising K. oxytoca ldc-co1 and a Pbad promoter). Arabinose concentration (mM) Cadaverine (g/kg) 0  0.49 ± 0.4  2.5 2.35 ± 0.4  5.0 6.09 ± 0.1 10.0 6.45 ± 0.1

As shown in Table 3, the highest yield of cadaverine was produced when the LN22 cells (E. coli strain comprising K. oxytoca ldc-co-1 and a Pbad promoter) were induced at an arabinose concentration of 10 mM.

Example 4: Cadaverine Production Using the LN24 Strain (E. Coli Strain Comprising K. Oxytoca ldc-co1 and a Ptac Promoter)

Next, a strain was created comprising K. oxytoca ldc-co1 and a Ptac promoter (LN24 strain, see FIG. 2). Similarly, the Ptac promoter and upstream laclq gene were amplified from pGEXT43 using the primers Ptac-F and Ptac-R (see FIG. 1), and cloned into pUC18-KOldc-co1-Xhol to create the plasmid, pUC18-KOldc-co1-Ptac. pUC18-KOldc-co1-Ptac was transformed into K12 to create strain LN24 (see FIG. 2). Cadaverine production and analyses experiments were performed in the same way as described in Example 2.

TABLE 4 Cadaverine production using strain LN24 (E. coli strain comprising K. oxytoca ldc-co1 and a Ptac promoter) IPTG concentration (mM) Cadaverine (g/kg) 0   1.61 ± 0.4 0.1 7.57 ± 0.1 0.2 7.57 ± 0.1 0.5 7.20 ± 0.2

As shown in Table 4, the highest yield of cadaverine was produced when the LN24 cells (E. coli strain comprising K. oxytoca ldc-co-1 and a Ptac promoter) were induced at an IPTG concentration of 0.1 or 0.2 mM.

Example 5: Cadaverine Production Comparing Strains Expressing K. Oxytoca Ldc or E. Coli CadA During Batch Fermentation

Batch fermentation was performed using cells expressing the K. oxytoca Ldc protein (strain LN20, E. coli cells comprising K. oxytoca ldc-co-1 and a Plac promoter, see FIG. 2) and cells expressing the E. coli CadA protein (strain CIB60, E. coli cells comprising E. coli cadA and a Plac promoter, see FIG. 2). Batch cultures were carried out at 37° C. in a 10-L jar fermenter containing 7 L of fermentation medium that consists of 20 g L⁻¹ glucose, 30 g L⁻¹ corn steeped liquor, 10 g L⁻¹ yeast extract, 5 g L⁻¹ ammonium sulfate, 10 g L⁻¹ MgSO4, 0.05 g L⁻¹ FeSO4, 0.05 g L⁻¹ MnSO4, 5 g L⁻¹ CaCl2, and 0.1 g L⁻¹ ampicillin. One colony was inoculated into 50 mL LB medium, and grown for 24 hours at 100 rpm and 37° C. in a shaking incubator. The fermenter was inoculated with 50 mL of the seed culture, and pH was controlled at ˜7.0 by adding 20% (w/v) NaOH. The aeration was maintained at 3.5 L min⁻¹ with an agitation speed of 400 rpm and a pressure of 0.05 MPa. 0.2 mM IPTG was added at exponential phase. The total fermentation time was 18 hrs. Samples were taken periodically in order to measure the biomass concentration, and the lysine to cadaverine conversion ability. Data are shown in FIG. 3.

Under batch fermentation conditions, cells expressing E. coli CadA (strain CIB60) reached a final OD₆₀₀ of 15.02 after 18 hours (see FIG. 3, black squares). Cells expressing K. oxytoca Ldc (strain LN20) achieved a lower OD₆₀₀ of 14.26 (see FIG. 3, white squares). The rate of glucose utilization is similar amongst the two strains (see FIG. 3: LN20, white circles; CIB60, black circles). However, the cells expressing K. oxytoca Ldc (strain LN20) were able to convert lysine-HCl to cadaverine at a rate of 0.43% min⁻¹, which is 24% higher when compared to the cells expressing E. coli CadA (strain CIB60), which had an activity of 0.37% min⁻¹ (see FIG. 3, white triangles and black triangles, respectively).

Example 6: Cadaverine Production Using Strain Expressing K. Oxytoca Ldc During Fed-Batch Fermentation

Fed-batch fermentation was performed using cells expressing the K. oxytoca Ldc protein (strain LN24, E. coli cells comprising K. oxytoca ldc-co-1 and a Ptac promoter, see FIG. 2). Fed-batch cultivation was carried out at 37° C. in a 10-L jar fermenter containing 5 L of fermentation medium that consists of 8 g L⁻¹ glucose, 30 g L⁻¹ corn steeped liquor, 10 g L⁻¹ yeast extract, 5 g L⁻¹ ammonium sulfate, 10 g L⁻¹ MgSO₄, 0.05 g L⁻¹ FeSO₄, 0.05 g L⁻¹ MnSO₄, 5 g L⁻¹ CaCl₂, and 0.1 g L⁻¹ ampicillin. The feeding solution contained 50% glucose in water in order to keep the glucose concentration in the fermentation broth at 5-8 g L⁻¹. A 25% ammonia solution was added to maintain the pH at ˜7.0. The aeration was maintained at 3.5 L min⁻¹ with an agitation speed of 400 rpm and a pressure of 0.05 MPa. 0.1 mM IPTG was added every 10 hours during exponential phase. The total fermentation time was 58 hours. Samples were taken periodically over the 58 hours in order to measure the biomass concentration, and the lysine to cadaverine conversion ability. Data are shown in FIG. 4.

Under fed-batch fermentation conditions, cells expressing K. oxytoca Ldc protein (strain LN24) reached an OD₆₀₀ of ˜80 after 58 hours (see FIG. 4, white squares), and maximum activity of 1.33% min⁻¹ was observed for the 10 g sample assayed (0.133% min⁻¹ g⁻¹) (see FIG. 4, black diamonds).

Example 7: Screening a Ribosomal Binding Site Library for Increased Cadaverine Production

A ribosomal binding site (RBS) DNA library was prepared to use for screening for an optimal RBS sequence for K. oxytoca Ldc protein expression that results in increased cadaverine production. The primers RBS-F and RBS-R (see FIG. 1) were used to modify the nucleotides in the RBS DNA region of K. oxytoca ldc-co1 (SEQ ID NO: 3) in pUC18-KOldc-co1-Ptac. RBS-F was designed to allow for random nucleotide sequences to be generated at nucleotide positions −7 to −12 relative to the first nucleotide of K. oxytoca ldc-co1. Five PCR reactions were pooled together, treated with the restriction enzyme Dpnl in order to remove any template DNA, and PCR clean-up was performed. One μg of purified DNA was transformed into E. coli MG1655 K12, and the transformation was plated to allow for single colonies to be screened. One thousand colonies were screened and were labeled LN100-1099. Cadaverine production using strains LN100-1099 was compared to that from LN24 (E. coli strain comprising K. oxytoca ldc-co1 and Ptac, see FIG. 2).

Five strains obtained from the screening library (LN140, LN301, LN499, LN637, and LN770) demonstrated the highest cadaverine production out of the one thousand strains screened. The plasm ids from these strains were purified and labeled pLN140, pLN301, pLN499, pLN637, and pLN770. The plasmids were sequenced using the primer RBS-out-F (see FIG. 1) to determine the novel RBS DNA sequences in the RBS DNA region of K. oxytoca ldc-co-1. The five plasm ids from the top five producers were transformed into E. coli MG1655 K12 to produce strains LN1100, LN1101, LN1102, LN1103, and LN1104 (see FIG. 2). Cadaverine production using the strains with mutated RBS DNA sequences (LN1100, LN1101, LN1102, LN1103, and LN1104) was compared to cadaverine production using the strain with the wild-type RBS DNA sequence (strain LN24, E. coli strain comprising K. oxytoca ldc-co1 and a Ptac promoter, FIG. 2). Cadaverine production and analysis was performed as described in Example 1, except 0.1 mM IPTG and 25 mg lysine-HCl was used.

TABLE 5 Cadaverine production using strain LN24 and strains obtained from the RBS DNA screening library. Cadaverine RBS DNA Name and Strain Plasmid (g/kg) Sequence SEQ ID NO: LN24 pUC18-KOldc- 7.45 ± 0.2 GGAGAT RBS DNA-1 c01-Ptac (SEQ ID NO: 14) LN1100 pLN140 8.26 ± 0.8 AGGACT RBS DNA-2 (SEQ ID NO: 15) LN1101 pLN301  9.0 ± 0.5 GAGGAG RBS DNA-3 (SEQ ID NO: 16) LN1102 pLN499  8.7 ± 0.4 GAGGAA RBS DNA-4 (SEQ ID NO: 17) LN1103 pLN637 10.0 ± 0.6 TGGAGG RBS DNA-5 (SEQ ID NO: 18) LN1104 pLN770  8.8 ± 0.6 CAGGAG RBS DNA-6 (SEQ ID NO: 19)

As shown in Table 5, the plasmids with the mutated RBS DNA sequences when transformed into E. coli K12 (LN1100, LN1101, LN1102, LN1103, and LN1104) produced higher yields of cadaverine when compared to the strain with the wild-type RBS DNA sequence (LN24). The highest yield of cadaverine was produced from strain LN1103 (i.e., 10.0±0.6 g/kg), which had the RBS DNA-5 sequence (i.e., TGGAGG; SEQ ID NO: 18).

Example 8: Screening epPCR Library for Increased Cadaverine Production

The plasmid from the strain that produced the highest yield of cadaverine in Example 7 (plasmid pLN637, strain LN1103) was used for introducing random mutations into the K. oxytoca ldc-co-1 polynucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO: 3) using error-prone PCR (epPCR). Based on the sequencing result of pLN637, the primer epPCR-F (see FIG. 1) was designed to amplify the region upstream K. oxytoca ldc-co-1. The primers epPCR-F and epPCR-R (FIG. 1) were used to amplify the K. oxytoca ldc-co1 sequence from pLN637 using epPCR. epPCR was accomplished with the GeneMorph II Random Mutagenesis Kit by following the manufacturer's instructions. Five PCR reactions were pooled together, treated with the restriction enzyme Dpnl in order to remove any template DNA, and purified. The amplified product was cloned into pUC18-KOldc-co1-Ptac to replace the K. oxytoca ldc-co1 polynucleotide sequence using the restriction enzymes Sacl and Xbal. The purified DNA was transformed into E. coli MG1655 K12, and the transformation was plated to allow for single colonies to be screened for increased cadaverine production. One thousand single colonies from the transformation were screened in order to identify strains with the increased ability to convert lysine-HCl to cadaverine compared to LN1103. These one thousand mutants generated from epPCR were labeled LN2000-2999.

Five strains obtained from epPCR (i.e., LN2377, LN2453, LN2768, LN2888, and LN2964) demonstrated the highest cadaverine production out of the one thousand mutants generated by epPCR that were screened. The plasm ids from these strains were purified, and labeled pLN2377, pLN2453, pLN2768, pLN2888, and pLN2964. The lysine decarboxylase gene on each of these plasm ids was sequenced using the primers ldc-out-F and ldc-out-R (FIG. 1). The five plasm ids were transformed into E. coli MG1655 K12 to produce strains LN3010, LN3011, LN3012, LN3013, and LN3014 (FIG. 2). Cadaverine production and analysis was performed as described Example 7.

TABLE 6 Cadaverine production using strain LN1103 and strains obtained from the epPCR screening library. K. oxytoca Ldc K. oxytoca ldc-co1 RBS DNA Cadaverine Strain Protein mutation Gene mutation sequence (g/kg) LN1103 No mutation No mutation TGGAGG 9.29 ± 1.0 (SEQ ID NO: 2) (SEQ ID NO: 3) LN3010 K287E A859G TGGAGG 9.62 ± 0.4 (SEQ ID NO: 5) (SEQ ID NO: 4) LN3011 R436G C1306G TGGAGG 10.0 ± 0.9 (SEQ ID NO: 9) (SEQ ID NO: 8) LN3012 F607Y T1820A TGGAGG 9.74 ± 0.6 (SEQ ID NO: 13) (SEQ ID NO: 12) LN3013 T398S C1193G TGGAGG 10.7 ± 0.3 (SEQ ID NO: 7) (SEQ ID NO: 6) LN3014 F507L C1521G TGGAGG 11.2 ± 1.0 (SEQ ID NO: 11) (SEQ ID NO: 10)

As shown in Table 6, E. coli K12 transformed with the plasmids that have mutations in the sequence of K. oxytoca ldc-co1 (i.e., strain LN3010, LN3011, LN3012, LN3013, and LN3014) led to higher yields of cadaverine when compared to the strain with no mutations in the sequence of K. oxytoca ldc-co-1 (i.e., strain LN24). The highest yield of cadaverine was produced from strain LN3014, the strain expressing the mutant K. oxytoca Ldc F507L protein (SEQ ID NO: 11), which resulted in a yield of 11.2±1.0 g/kg cadaverine.

Example 9: Cadaverine Production Comparing Strains Expressing K. Oxytoca Ldc or K. Oxytoca Ldc F507L During Batch Fermentation

Batch fermentation of cells expressing either K. oxytoca Ldc (strain LN24, FIG. 2) or cells expressing K. oxytoca Ldc F507L (strain LN3014, FIG. 2) was performed in the same way as described in Example 5. Data are shown in FIG. 5. Under batch fermentation conditions, cells expressing K. oxytoca Ldc (strain LN24) and cells expressing K. oxytoca Ldc F507L (strain LN3014) reached a similar final OD₆₀₀ of around 13.6±0.1 after 18 hours (see FIG. 5, black squares and white squares, respectively). The rate of glucose utilization is slightly higher in cells expressing K. oxytoca Ldc (strain LN24) compared to cells expressing K. oxytoca Ldc F507L (strain LN3014) (see FIG. 5, black circles and white circles, respectively). However, the cells expressing K. oxytoca Ldc F507L (strain LN3014) had a 25% higher rate of lysine-HCl to cadaverine conversion compared to cells expressing K. oxytoca Ldc (strain LN24) (see FIG. 5, white triangles and black triangles, respectively). Cells expressing K. oxytoca Ldc (strain LN24) achieved an activity of 0.58% min-1, while cells expressing K. oxytoca Ldc F507L (strain LN3014) achieved an activity of 0.72% min-1 (see FIG. 5 at the 18 hour time point, black triangles and white triangles, respectively).

Example 10: Cadaverine Production of Strain Expressing K. Oxytoca Ldc F507L During Fed-Batch Fermentation

Fed-batch fermentation of cells expressing K. oxytoca Ldc F507L (strain LN3014, FIG. 2) was performed in the same way as provided in Example 6. Data are shown in FIG. 6. Cells expressing K. oxytoca Ldc F507L (strain LN3014) were tested in fed-batch fermentation for 58 hours. The OD₆₀₀ reached˜82 after 58 hours, and maximum activity of 1.56% min-1 was observed for the 10 g sample assayed (0.156% min−1 g−1) (see FIG. 6, square and triangle, respectively, at 58 hour time point).

REFERENCES

The references, patents and published patent applications listed below, and all references cited in the specification above are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety, as if fully set forth herein.

-   1. Wertz et al. Chimeric nature of two plasm ids of H. alvei     encoding the bacteriocins alveicins A and B. Journal of     Bacteriology, (2004) 186: 1598-1605. -   2. Datsenko K A & Wanner B L. One-step inactivation of chromosomal     genes in Escherichia coli K-12 using PCR products. PNAS, (2000)     6640-6645. -   3. Papadakis et al. Promoters and Control Elements: Designing     Expression Cassettes for Gene Therapy. Current Gene Therapy, (2004)     4: 89-113.

SEQUENCE LISTING (K. oxytoca ldc nucleotide sequence) SEQ ID NO: 1  ATGAACGTTATCGCAATCATGAATCACATGGGTGTCTACTTCAAAGAAGAACCCAT CCGTGAACTGCATCGCGCCCTCGAACGCCTGGACTTCCGTATTGTCTACCCGAAC GACCGTGAAGACTTATTAAAACTTATCGAAAACAATGCGCGTCTGTGCGGCGTGAT CTTCGACTGGGATAAATATAATCTCGAACTGTGCGAAGACATCAGCAAAATGAACG AATACATGCCGCTGTACGCCTTTGCGAACACTTACTCAACGCTGGACGTGAGCCTC AACGATCTGCGGATGCAGGTTCGCTTCTTCGAATATGCGCTGGGCGCAGCGGAAG ACATTGCCAACAAAATCAAACAGAATACCGACGAGTATATCGACACCATTCTGCCG CCGCTGACCAAAGCGCTGTTTAAATACGTGCGTGAAGGCAAATACACCTTCTGTAC CCCAGGCCATATGGGCGGTACCGCGTTCCAGAAAAGCCCAGTCGGCAGCATCTTC TACGATTTCTTTGGTTCCAATACCATGAAATCCGATATCTCGATTTCGGTTTCTGAA CTCGGTTCTCTGCTGGACCACAGCGGCCCGCACAAAGAAGCGGAAGAGTACATCG CCCGCGTCTTCAACGCGGAACGCAGCTACATGGTGACCAACGGGACCTCTACCGC CAACAAAATTGTCGGCATGTATTCCGCCCCGGCCGGTAGCACCGTGCTGATTGAC CGTAACTGCCATAAATCGCTGACCCATCTGATGATGATGAGCGACATTACGCCAAT CTACTTCCGCCCGACCCGCAACGCCTACGGTATCCTCGGCGGTATCCCGCAGAGC GAATTCCAGCATGCGACCATCGCGAAGCGCGTGAAAGAAACCCCGAACGCGACCT GGCCGGTGCACGCGGTTATCACCAACTCCACCTATGACGGTCTGCTGTACAACAC GGACTACATCAAGAAAACCCTGGATGTGAAATCCATCCACTTTGACTCCGCGTGGG TGCCTTACACCAACTTCTCGCCGATTTATGAAGGCAAATGCGGGATGAGCGGCGG CCGCGTCGAAGGGAAAGTGATTTACGAAACCCAGTCCACGCACAAACTGCTGGCG GCGTTCTCTCAGGCCTCGATGATTCACGTTAAAGGCGACGTGAACGAAGAGACCT TTAACGAAGCCTACATGATGCACACCACCACTTCTCCGCACTACGGCGTGGTGGC CTCGACGGAAACCGCGGCGGCGATGATGAAAGGCAACGCCGGTAAGCGCCTGAT TGACGGCTCTATCGAACGTTCAATCAAGTTCCGTAAAGAGATCAAACGTCTGAAAG GCGAGTCCGACGGCTGGTTCTTCGACGTCTGGCAGCCGGAACATATCGATGGCG CTGAATGCTGGCCGCTGCGCTCCGACAGCGCGTGGCACGGCTTCAAAAACATCGA TAACGAGCACATGTATCTCGACCCGATTAAAGTCACGCTGCTGACTCCGGGGATG AAGAAAGACGGCACCATGGATGAGTTCGGTATTCCGGCGAGCATCGTGGCGAAGT ATCTCGACGAGCACGGTATCGTGGTCGAAAAAACCGGTCCGTACAACCTGCTGTT CCTGTTCAGTATCGGTATCGACAAAACCAAAGCGCTGAGCCTGCTGCGTGCGCTG ACCGATTTCAAACGCGCGTTCGACCTGAACCTGCGGGTGAAAAACATGCTGCCGT CGCTGTATCGTGAAGATCCGGAATTCTACGAAAACATGCGCGTTCAGGAACTGGC GCAGAACATTCATAAACTGATTGAGCACCACAACCTGCCGGATCTGATGTTCCGCG CGTTCGAAGTGCTGCCGACCATGATGATCACGCCGTACGCCGCGTTCCAGAAAGA GCTGCACGGTCAGACCGAAGAGGTGTATCTCGAAGAGATGGTGGGCCGCGTCAA CGCCAATATGATCCTGCCGTATCCTCCGGGAGTGCCGCTGGTGATGCCGGGTGAA ATGATCACCGAAGAGAGCCGTCCGGTGCTGGAGTTCCTGCAGATGCTGTGCGAAA TCGGCGCCCACTATCCGGGCTTCGAAACCGATATCCACGGCGCCTATCGTCAGGC GGATGGTCGTTACACCGTTAAAGTGCTGAAAGAAGAAAATAACAAATAA (K. oxytoca Ldc amino acid sequence) SEQ ID NO: 2  MNVIAIMNHMGVYFKEEPIRELHRALERLDFRIVYPNDREDLLKLIENNA RLCGVIFDWDKYNLELCEDISKMNEYMPLYAFANTYSTLDVSLNDLRMQV RFFEYALGAAEDIANKIKQNTDEYIDTILPPLTKALFKYVREGKYTFCTP GHMGGTAFQKSPVGSIFYDFFGSNTMKSDISISVSELGSLLDHSGPHKEA EEYIARVFNAERSYMVTNGTSTANKIVGMYSAPAGSTVLIDRNCHKSLTH LMMMSDITPIYFRPTRNAYGILGGIPQSEFQHATIAKRVKETPNATWPVH AVITNSTYDGLLYNTDYIKKTLDVKSIHFDSAWVPYTNFSPIYEGKCGMS GGRVEGKVIYETQSTHKLLAAFSQASMIHVKGDVNEETFNEAYMMHTTTS PHYGVVASTETAAAMMKGNAGKRLIDGSIERSIKFRKEIKRLKGESDGWF FDVWQPEHIDGAECWPLRSDSAWHGFKNIDNEHMYLDPIKVTLLTPGMKK DGTMDEFGIPASIVAKYLDEHGIVVEKTGPYNLLFLFSIGIDKTKALSLL RALTDFKRAFDLNLRVKNMLPSLYREDPEFYENMRVQELAQNIHKLIEHH NLPDLMFRAFEVLPTMMITPYAAFQKELHGQTEEVYLEEMVGRVNANMIL PYPPGVPLVMPGEMITEESRPVLEFLQMLCEIGAHYPGFETDIHGAYRQA DGRYTVKVLKEENNK (K. oxytoca ldc-co1 nucleotide sequence) SEQ ID NO: 3  ATGAATGTTATTGCGATTATGAACCACATGGGCGTATACTTCAAGGAGGAACCGAT CCGCGAACTGCATCGTGCCCTGGAACGTCTGGATTTCCGCATCGTCTATCCAAATG ACCGTGAGGATCTCCTCAAGCTCATCGAGAATAATGCGCGCCTGTGTGGTGTTATC TTTGACTGGGACAAATACAATCTGGAACTGTGCGAGGACATCTCTAAGATGAACGA ATATATGCCGCTGTACGCGTTTGCCAACACCTACTCTACCCTCGACGTTAGCCTGA ATGACCTGCGCATGCAGGTTCGTTTCTTTGAATACGCGCTGGGTGCGGCGGAAGA CATTGCAAACAAGATCAAACAAAACACCGACGAGTACATTGATACGATCCTCCCTC CTCTCACCAAAGCTCTGTTCAAGTACGTCCGCGAGGGCAAGTACACTTTTTGCACC CCTGGTCATATGGGCGGCACTGCGTTTCAGAAAAGCCCGGTTGGTTCCATTTTCTA TGACTTTTTTGGTTCTAATACGATGAAATCTGATATCTCTATCTCTGTTTCCGAACTC GGCTCCCTGCTGGACCACTCTGGTCCGCATAAAGAAGCAGAAGAATACATCGCGC GTGTTTTCAACGCGGAACGCTCTTACATGGTAACGAACGGCACCAGCACCGCGAA TAAGATTGTTGGTATGTATAGCGCTCCAGCGGGCTCTACCGTACTCATTGACCGTA ACTGCCATAAAAGCCTGACTCACCTCATGATGATGTCCGACATCACTCCAATTTACT TCCGTCCGACCCGTAATGCCTATGGCATCCTGGGTGGCATTCCTCAGTCTGAATTT CAACACGCCACTATTGCTAAGCGTGTAAAGGAGACTCCAAACGCTACGTGGCCTG TCCACGCCGTTATCACCAACTCCACCTACGACGGTCTCCTGTACAATACTGATTAC ATCAAAAAAACCCTGGATGTAAAATCCATTCACTTCGATAGCGCATGGGTTCCTTAC ACTAACTTCAGCCCAATCTATGAGGGTAAGTGCGGTATGAGCGGTGGTCGTGTCG AAGGCAAAGTTATCTACGAGACGCAAAGCACTCACAAACTCCTGGCAGCGTTCTCT CAAGCGTCCATGATTCATGTTAAGGGTGACGTGAATGAAGAGACCTTCAACGAAGC GTACATGATGCATACCACCACCTCTCCGCACTACGGTGTCGTTGCGTCCACGGAA ACGGCGGCTGCTATGATGAAAGGTAATGCGGGTAAACGCCTGATCGACGGTTCTA TTGAGCGTAGCATCAAATTTCGTAAAGAAATCAAACGTCTCAAAGGTGAAAGCGAC GGCTGGTTTTTCGATGTGTGGCAGCCAGAACATATTGATGGTGCTGAATGCTGGC CGCTGCGTTCTGACTCCGCTTGGCACGGTTTCAAAAACATCGACAATGAACACATG TACCTGGACCCGATCAAGGTTACGCTCCTGACCCCAGGTATGAAAAAAGACGGTA CTATGGATGAATTCGGTATTCCGGCCTCCATCGTGGCGAAGTATCTCGACGAACAT GGCATTGTTGTGGAGAAGACGGGTCCGTATAACCTGCTGTTTCTGTTTTCCATCGG CATTGACAAAACGAAAGCGCTGTCTCTGCTGCGTGCGCTGACCGACTTTAAACGT GCGTTCGACCTGAATCTCCGTGTTAAGAACATGCTCCCGTCTCTGTACCGTGAAGA CCCGGAATTCTACGAAAACATGCGTGTTCAGGAACTGGCGCAGAATATCCACAAG CTGATTGAGCATCACAACCTCCCGGATCTCATGTTCCGTGCCTTTGAAGTTCTCCC AACGATGATGATTACTCCGTATGCGGCGTTCCAAAAAGAGCTGCATGGCCAAACG GAAGAGGTGTACCTCGAAGAAATGGTCGGTCGCGTTAATGCTAATATGATTCTCCC GTATCCACCTGGTGTGCCTCTCGTTATGCCAGGCGAAATGATCACTGAAGAGTCCC GCCCAGTGCTCGAATTTCTGCAAATGCTGTGTGAAATTGGCGCCCACTACCCAGG CTTCGAAACCGATATTCATGGCGCTTACCGCCAAGCAGATGGTCGCTACACGGTTA AAGTACTCAAGGAAGAGAACAACAAATAA (K. oxytoca ldc-co1 A859G nucleotide sequence) SEQ ID NO: 4  ATGAATGTTATTGCGATTATGAACCACATGGGCGTATACTTCAAGGAGGAACCGAT CCGCGAACTGCATCGTGCCCTGGAACGTCTGGATTTCCGCATCGTCTATCCAAATG ACCGTGAGGATCTCCTCAAGCTCATCGAGAATAATGCGCGCCTGTGTGGTGTTATC TTTGACTGGGACAAATACAATCTGGAACTGTGCGAGGACATCTCTAAGATGAACGA ATATATGCCGCTGTACGCGTTTGCCAACACCTACTCTACCCTCGACGTTAGCCTGA ATGACCTGCGCATGCAGGTTCGTTTCTTTGAATACGCGCTGGGTGCGGCGGAAGA CATTGCAAACAAGATCAAACAAAACACCGACGAGTACATTGATACGATCCTCCCTC CTCTCACCAAAGCTCTGTTCAAGTACGTCCGCGAGGGCAAGTACACTTTTTGCACC CCTGGTCATATGGGCGGCACTGCGTTTCAGAAAAGCCCGGTTGGTTCCATTTTCTA TGACTTTTTTGGTTCTAATACGATGAAATCTGATATCTCTATCTCTGTTTCCGAACTC GGCTCCCTGCTGGACCACTCTGGTCCGCATAAAGAAGCAGAAGAATACATCGCGC GTGTTTTCAACGCGGAACGCTCTTACATGGTAACGAACGGCACCAGCACCGCGAA TAAGATTGTTGGTATGTATAGCGCTCCAGCGGGCTCTACCGTACTCATTGACCGTA ACTGCCATAAAAGCCTGACTCACCTCATGATGATGTCCGACATCACTCCAATTTACT TCCGTCCGACCCGTAATGCCTATGGCATCCTGGGTGGCATTCCTCAGTCTGAATTT CAACACGCCACTATTGCTGAGCGTGTAAAGGAGACTCCAAACGCTACGTGGCCTG TCCACGCCGTTATCACCAACTCCACCTACGACGGTCTCCTGTACAATACTGATTAC ATCAAAAAAACCCTGGATGTAAAATCCATTCACTTCGATAGCGCATGGGTTCCTTAC ACTAACTTCAGCCCAATCTATGAGGGTAAGTGCGGTATGAGCGGTGGTCGTGTCG AAGGCAAAGTTATCTACGAGACGCAAAGCACTCACAAACTCCTGGCAGCGTTCTCT CAAGCGTCCATGATTCATGTTAAGGGTGACGTGAATGAAGAGACCTTCAACGAAGC GTACATGATGCATACCACCACCTCTCCGCACTACGGTGTCGTTGCGTCCACGGAA ACGGCGGCTGCTATGATGAAAGGTAATGCGGGTAAACGCCTGATCGACGGTTCTA TTGAGCGTAGCATCAAATTTCGTAAAGAAATCAAACGTCTCAAAGGTGAAAGCGAC GGCTGGTTTTTCGATGTGTGGCAGCCAGAACATATTGATGGTGCTGAATGCTGGC CGCTGCGTTCTGACTCCGCTTGGCACGGTTTCAAAAACATCGACAATGAACACATG TACCTGGACCCGATCAAGGTTACGCTCCTGACCCCAGGTATGAAAAAAGACGGTA CTATGGATGAATTCGGTATTCCGGCCTCCATCGTGGCGAAGTATCTCGACGAACAT GGCATTGTTGTGGAGAAGACGGGTCCGTATAACCTGCTGTTTCTGTTTTCCATCGG CATTGACAAAACGAAAGCGCTGTCTCTGCTGCGTGCGCTGACCGACTTTAAACGT GCGTTCGACCTGAATCTCCGTGTTAAGAACATGCTCCCGTCTCTGTACCGTGAAGA CCCGGAATTCTACGAAAACATGCGTGTTCAGGAACTGGCGCAGAATATCCACAAG CTGATTGAGCATCACAACCTCCCGGATCTCATGTTCCGTGCCTTTGAAGTTCTCCC AACGATGATGATTACTCCGTATGCGGCGTTCCAAAAAGAGCTGCATGGCCAAACG GAAGAGGTGTACCTCGAAGAAATGGTCGGTCGCGTTAATGCTAATATGATTCTCCC GTATCCACCTGGTGTGCCTCTCGTTATGCCAGGCGAAATGATCACTGAAGAGTCCC GCCCAGTGCTCGAATTTCTGCAAATGCTGTGTGAAATTGGCGCCCACTACCCAGG CTTCGAAACCGATATTCATGGCGCTTACCGCCAAGCAGATGGTCGCTACACGGTTA AAGTACTCAAGGAAGAGAACAACAAATAA (K. oxytoca Ldc K287E amino acid sequence) SEQ ID NO: 5 MNVIAIMNHMGVYFKEEPIRELHRALERLDFRIVYPNDREDLLKLIENNA RLCGVIFDWDKYNLELCEDISKMNEYMPLYAFANTYSTLDVSLNDLRMQV RFFEYALGAAEDIANKIKQNTDEYIDTILPPLTKALFKYVREGKYTFCTP GHMGGTAFQKSPVGSIFYDFFGSNTMKSDISISVSELGSLLDHSGPHKEA EEYIARVFNAERSYMVTNGTSTANKIVGMYSAPAGSTVLIDRNCHKSLTH LMMMSDITPIYFRPTRNAYGILGGIPQSEFQHATIAERVKETPNATWPVH AVITNSTYDGLLYNTDYIKKTLDVKSIHFDSAWVPYTNFSPIYEGKCGMS GGRVEGKVIYETQSTHKLLAAFSQASMIHVKGDVNEETFNEAYMMHTTTS PHYGVVASTETAAAMMKGNAGKRLIDGSIERSIKFRKEIKRLKGESDGWF FDVWQPEHIDGAECWPLRSDSAWHGFKNIDNEHMYLDPIKVTLLTPGMKK DGTMDEFGIPASIVAKYLDEHGIVVEKTGPYNLLFLFSIGIDKTKALSLL RALTDFKRAFDLNLRVKNMLPSLYREDPEFYENMRVQELAQNIHKLIEHH NLPDLMFRAFEVLPTMMITPYAAFQKELHGQTEEVYLEEMVGRVNANMIL PYPPGVPLVMPGEMITEESRPVLEFLQMLCEIGAHYPGFETDIHGAYRQA DGRYTVKVLKEENNK (K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1193G nucleotide sequence) SEQ ID NO: 6 ATGAATGTTATTGCGATTATGAACCACATGGGCGTATACTTCAAGGAGGAACCGAT CCGCGAACTGCATCGTGCCCTGGAACGTCTGGATTTCCGCATCGTCTATCCAAATG ACCGTGAGGATCTCCTCAAGCTCATCGAGAATAATGCGCGCCTGTGTGGTGTTATC TTTGACTGGGACAAATACAATCTGGAACTGTGCGAGGACATCTCTAAGATGAACGA ATATATGCCGCTGTACGCGTTTGCCAACACCTACTCTACCCTCGACGTTAGCCTGA ATGACCTGCGCATGCAGGTTCGTTTCTTTGAATACGCGCTGGGTGCGGCGGAAGA CATTGCAAACAAGATCAAACAAAACACCGACGAGTACATTGATACGATCCTCCCTC CTCTCACCAAAGCTCTGTTCAAGTACGTCCGCGAGGGCAAGTACACTTTTTGCACC CCTGGTCATATGGGCGGCACTGCGTTTCAGAAAAGCCCGGTTGGTTCCATTTTCTA TGACTTTTTTGGTTCTAATACGATGAAATCTGATATCTCTATCTCTGTTTCCGAACTC GGCTCCCTGCTGGACCACTCTGGTCCGCATAAAGAAGCAGAAGAATACATCGCGC GTGTTTTCAACGCGGAACGCTCTTACATGGTAACGAACGGCACCAGCACCGCGAA TAAGATTGTTGGTATGTATAGCGCTCCAGCGGGCTCTACCGTACTCATTGACCGTA ACTGCCATAAAAGCCTGACTCACCTCATGATGATGTCCGACATCACTCCAATTTACT TCCGTCCGACCCGTAATGCCTATGGCATCCTGGGTGGCATTCCTCAGTCTGAATTT CAACACGCCACTATTGCTAAGCGTGTAAAGGAGACTCCAAACGCTACGTGGCCTG TCCACGCCGTTATCACCAACTCCACCTACGACGGTCTCCTGTACAATACTGATTAC ATCAAAAAAACCCTGGATGTAAAATCCATTCACTTCGATAGCGCATGGGTTCCTTAC ACTAACTTCAGCCCAATCTATGAGGGTAAGTGCGGTATGAGCGGTGGTCGTGTCG AAGGCAAAGTTATCTACGAGACGCAAAGCACTCACAAACTCCTGGCAGCGTTCTCT CAAGCGTCCATGATTCATGTTAAGGGTGACGTGAATGAAGAGACCTTCAACGAAGC GTACATGATGCATACCAGCACCTCTCCGCACTACGGTGTCGTTGCGTCCACGGAA ACGGCGGCTGCTATGATGAAAGGTAATGCGGGTAAACGCCTGATCGACGGTTCTA TTGAGCGTAGCATCAAATTTCGTAAAGAAATCAAACGTCTCAAAGGTGAAAGCGAC GGCTGGTTTTTCGATGTGTGGCAGCCAGAACATATTGATGGTGCTGAATGCTGGC CGCTGCGTTCTGACTCCGCTTGGCACGGTTTCAAAAACATCGACAATGAACACATG TACCTGGACCCGATCAAGGTTACGCTCCTGACCCCAGGTATGAAAAAAGACGGTA CTATGGATGAATTCGGTATTCCGGCCTCCATCGTGGCGAAGTATCTCGACGAACAT GGCATTGTTGTGGAGAAGACGGGTCCGTATAACCTGCTGTTTCTGTTTTCCATCGG CATTGACAAAACGAAAGCGCTGTCTCTGCTGCGTGCGCTGACCGACTTTAAACGT GCGTTCGACCTGAATCTCCGTGTTAAGAACATGCTCCCGTCTCTGTACCGTGAAGA CCCGGAATTCTACGAAAACATGCGTGTTCAGGAACTGGCGCAGAATATCCACAAG CTGATTGAGCATCACAACCTCCCGGATCTCATGTTCCGTGCCTTTGAAGTTCTCCC AACGATGATGATTACTCCGTATGCGGCGTTCCAAAAAGAGCTGCATGGCCAAACG GAAGAGGTGTACCTCGAAGAAATGGTCGGTCGCGTTAATGCTAATATGATTCTCCC GTATCCACCTGGTGTGCCTCTCGTTATGCCAGGCGAAATGATCACTGAAGAGTCCC GCCCAGTGCTCGAATTTCTGCAAATGCTGTGTGAAATTGGCGCCCACTACCCAGG CTTCGAAACCGATATTCATGGCGCTTACCGCCAAGCAGATGGTCGCTACACGGTTA AAGTACTCAAGGAAGAGAACAACAAATAA (K. oxytoca Ldc T398S amino acid sequence) SEQ ID NO: 7 MNVIAIMNHMGVYFKEEPIRELHRALERLDFRIVYPNDREDLLKLIENNA RLCGVIFDWDKYNLELCEDISKMNEYMPLYAFANTYSTLDVSLNDLRMQV RFFEYALGAAEDIANKIKQNTDEYIDTILPPLTKALFKYVREGKYTFCTP GHMGGTAFQKSPVGSIFYDFFGSNTMKSDISISVSELGSLLDHSGPHKEA EEYIARVFNAERSYMVTNGTSTANKIVGMYSAPAGSTVLIDRNCHKSLTH LMMMSDITPIYFRPTRNAYGILGGIPQSEFQHATIAKRVKETPNATWPVH AVITNSTYDGLLYNTDYIKKTLDVKSIHFDSAWVPYTNFSPIYEGKCGMS GGRVEGKVIYETQSTHKLLAAFSQASMIHVKGDVNEETFNEAYMMHTSTS PHYGVVASTETAAAMMKGNAGKRLIDGSIERSIKFRKEIKRLKGESDGWF FDVWQPEHIDGAECWPLRSDSAWHGFKNIDNEHMYLDPIKVTLLTPGMKK DGTMDEFGIPASIVAKYLDEHGIVVEKTGPYNLLFLFSIGIDKTKALSLL RALTDFKRAFDLNLRVKNMLPSLYREDPEFYENMRVQELAQNIHKLIEHH NLPDLMFRAFEVLPTMMITPYAAFQKELHGQTEEVYLEEMVGRVNANMIL PYPPGVPLVMPGEMITEESRPVLEFLQMLCEIGAHYPGFETDIHGAYRQA DGRYTVKVLKEENNK (K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1306G nucleotide sequence) SEQ ID NO: 8 ATGAATGTTATTGCGATTATGAACCACATGGGCGTATACTTCAAGGAGGAACCGAT CCGCGAACTGCATCGTGCCCTGGAACGTCTGGATTTCCGCATCGTCTATCCAAATG ACCGTGAGGATCTCCTCAAGCTCATCGAGAATAATGCGCGCCTGTGTGGTGTTATC TTTGACTGGGACAAATACAATCTGGAACTGTGCGAGGACATCTCTAAGATGAACGA ATATATGCCGCTGTACGCGTTTGCCAACACCTACTCTACCCTCGACGTTAGCCTGA ATGACCTGCGCATGCAGGTTCGTTTCTTTGAATACGCGCTGGGTGCGGCGGAAGA CATTGCAAACAAGATCAAACAAAACACCGACGAGTACATTGATACGATCCTCCCTC CTCTCACCAAAGCTCTGTTCAAGTACGTCCGCGAGGGCAAGTACACTTTTTGCACC CCTGGTCATATGGGCGGCACTGCGTTTCAGAAAAGCCCGGTTGGTTCCATTTTCTA TGACTTTTTTGGTTCTAATACGATGAAATCTGATATCTCTATCTCTGTTTCCGAACTC GGCTCCCTGCTGGACCACTCTGGTCCGCATAAAGAAGCAGAAGAATACATCGCGC GTGTTTTCAACGCGGAACGCTCTTACATGGTAACGAACGGCACCAGCACCGCGAA TAAGATTGTTGGTATGTATAGCGCTCCAGCGGGCTCTACCGTACTCATTGACCGTA ACTGCCATAAAAGCCTGACTCACCTCATGATGATGTCCGACATCACTCCAATTTACT TCCGTCCGACCCGTAATGCCTATGGCATCCTGGGTGGCATTCCTCAGTCTGAATTT CAACACGCCACTATTGCTAAGCGTGTAAAGGAGACTCCAAACGCTACGTGGCCTG TCCACGCCGTTATCACCAACTCCACCTACGACGGTCTCCTGTACAATACTGATTAC ATCAAAAAAACCCTGGATGTAAAATCCATTCACTTCGATAGCGCATGGGTTCCTTAC ACTAACTTCAGCCCAATCTATGAGGGTAAGTGCGGTATGAGCGGTGGTCGTGTCG AAGGCAAAGTTATCTACGAGACGCAAAGCACTCACAAACTCCTGGCAGCGTTCTCT CAAGCGTCCATGATTCATGTTAAGGGTGACGTGAATGAAGAGACCTTCAACGAAGC GTACATGATGCATACCACCACCTCTCCGCACTACGGTGTCGTTGCGTCCACGGAA ACGGCGGCTGCTATGATGAAAGGTAATGCGGGTAAACGCCTGATCGACGGTTCTA TTGAGCGTAGCATCAAATTTGTAAAGAAATCAAACGTCTCAAAGGTGAAAGCGAC GGCTGGTTTTTCGATGTGTGGCAGCCAGAACATATTGATGGTGCTGAATGCTGGC CGCTGCGTTCTGACTCCGCTTGGCACGGTTTCAAAAACATCGACAATGAACACATG TACCTGGACCCGATCAAGGTTACGCTCCTGACCCCAGGTATGAAAAAAGACGGTA CTATGGATGAATTCGGTATTCCGGCCTCCATCGTGGCGAAGTATCTCGACGAACAT GGCATTGTTGTGGAGAAGACGGGTCCGTATAACCTGCTGTTTCTGTTTTCCATCGG CATTGACAAAACGAAAGCGCTGTCTCTGCTGCGTGCGCTGACCGACTTTAAACGT GCGTTCGACCTGAATCTCCGTGTTAAGAACATGCTCCCGTCTCTGTACCGTGAAGA CCCGGAATTCTACGAAAACATGCGTGTTCAGGAACTGGCGCAGAATATCCACAAG CTGATTGAGCATCACAACCTCCCGGATCTCATGTTCCGTGCCTTTGAAGTTCTCCC AACGATGATGATTACTCCGTATGCGGCGTTCCAAAAAGAGCTGCATGGCCAAACG GAAGAGGTGTACCTCGAAGAAATGGTCGGTCGCGTTAATGCTAATATGATTCTCCC GTATCCACCTGGTGTGCCTCTCGTTATGCCAGGCGAAATGATCACTGAAGAGTCCC GCCCAGTGCTCGAATTTCTGCAAATGCTGTGTGAAATTGGCGCCCACTACCCAGG CTTCGAAACCGATATTCATGGCGCTTACCGCCAAGCAGATGGTCGCTACACGGTTA AAGTACTCAAGGAAGAGAACAACAAATAA (K. oxytoca Ldc R436G amino acid sequence) SEQ ID NO: 9 MNVIAIMNHMGVYFKEEPIRELHRALERLDFRIVYPNDREDLLKLIENNA RLCGVIFDWDKYNLELCEDISKMNEYMPLYAFANTYSTLDVSLNDLRMQV RFFEYALGAAEDIANKIKQNTDEYIDTILPPLTKALFKYVREGKYTFCTP GHMGGTAFQKSPVGSIFYDFFGSNTMKSDISISVSELGSLLDHSGPHKEA EEYIARVFNAERSYMVTNGTSTANKIVGMYSAPAGSTVLIDRNCHKSLTH LMMMSDITPIYFRPTRNAYGILGGIPQSEFQHATIAKRVKETPNATWPVH AVITNSTYDGLLYNTDYIKKTLDVKSIHFDSAWVPYTNFSPIYEGKCGMS GGRVEGKVIYETQSTHKLLAAFSQASMIHVKGDVNEETFNEAYMMHTTTS PHYGVVASTETAAAMMKGNAGKRLIDGSIERSIKFGKEIKRLKGESDGWF FDVWQPEHIDGAECWPLRSDSAWHGFKNIDNEHMYLDPIKVTLLTPGMKK DGTMDEFGIPASIVAKYLDEHGIVVEKTGPYNLLFLFSIGIDKTKALSLL RALTDFKRAFDLNLRVKNMLPSLYREDPEFYENMRVQELAQNIHKLIEHH NLPDLMFRAFEVLPTMMITPYAAFQKELHGQTEEVYLEEMVGRVNANMIL PYPPGVPLVMPGEMITEESRPVLEFLQMLCEIGAHYPGFETDIHGAYRQA DGRYTVKVLKEENNK (K. oxytoca ldc-co1 C1521G nucleotide sequence) SEQ ID NO: 10 ATGAATGTTATTGCGATTATGAACCACATGGGCGTATACTTCAAGGAGGAACCGAT CCGCGAACTGCATCGTGCCCTGGAACGTCTGGATTTCCGCATCGTCTATCCAAATG ACCGTGAGGATCTCCTCAAGCTCATCGAGAATAATGCGCGCCTGTGTGGTGTTATC TTTGACTGGGACAAATACAATCTGGAACTGTGCGAGGACATCTCTAAGATGAACGA ATATATGCCGCTGTACGCGTTTGCCAACACCTACTCTACCCTCGACGTTAGCCTGA ATGACCTGCGCATGCAGGTTCGTTTCTTTGAATACGCGCTGGGTGCGGCGGAAGA CATTGCAAACAAGATCAAACAAAACACCGACGAGTACATTGATACGATCCTCCCTC CTCTCACCAAAGCTCTGTTCAAGTACGTCCGCGAGGGCAAGTACACTTTTTGCACC CCTGGTCATATGGGCGGCACTGCGTTTCAGAAAAGCCCGGTTGGTTCCATTTTCTA TGACTTTTTTGGTTCTAATACGATGAAATCTGATATCTCTATCTCTGTTTCCGAACTC GGCTCCCTGCTGGACCACTCTGGTCCGCATAAAGAAGCAGAAGAATACATCGCGC GTGTTTTCAACGCGGAACGCTCTTACATGGTAACGAACGGCACCAGCACCGCGAA TAAGATTGTTGGTATGTATAGCGCTCCAGCGGGCTCTACCGTACTCATTGACC GTA ACTGCCATAAAAGCCTGACTCACCTCATGATGATGTCCGACATCACTCCAATTTACT TCCGTCCGACCCGTAATGCCTATGGCATCCTGGGTGGCATTCCTCAGTCTGAATTT CAACACGCCACTATTGCTAAGCGTGTAAAGGAGACTCCAAACGCTACGTGGCCTG TCCACGCCGTTATCACCAACTCCACCTACGACGGTCTCCTGTACAATACTGATTAC ATCAAAAAAACCCTGGATGTAAAATCCATTCACTTCGATAGCGCATGGGTTCCTTAC ACTAACTTCAGCCCAATCTATGAGGGTAAGTGCGGTATGAGCGGTGGTCGTGTCG AAGGCAAAGTTATCTACGAGACGCAAAGCACTCACAAACTCCTGGCAGCGTTCTCT CAAGCGTCCATGATTCATGTTAAGGGTGACGTGAATGAAGAGACCTTCAACGAAGC GTACATGATGCATACCACCACCTCTCCGCACTACGGTGTCGTTGCGTCCACGGAA ACGGCGGCTGCTATGATGAAAGGTAATGCGGGTAAACGCCTGATCGACGGTTCTA TTGAGCGTAGCATCAAATTTCGTAAAGAAATCAAACGTCTCAAAGGTGAAAGCGAC GGCTGGTTTTTCGATGTGTGGCAGCCAGAACATATTGATGGTGCTGAATGCTGGC CGCTGCGTTCTGACTCCGCTTGGCACGGTTTCAAAAACATCGACAATGAACACATG TACCTGGACCCGATCAAGGTTACGCTCCTGACCCCAGGTATGAAAAAAGACGGTA CTATGGATGAATTGGTATTCCGGCCTCCATCGTGGCGAAGTATCTCGACGAACAT GGCATTGTTGTGGAGAAGACGGGTCCGTATAACCTGCTGTTTCTGTTTTCCATCGG CATTGACAAAACGAAAGCGCTGTCTCTGCTGCGTGCGCTGACCGACTTTAAACGT GCGTTCGACCTGAATCTCCGTGTTAAGAACATGCTCCCGTCTCTGTACCGTGAAGA CCCGGAATTCTACGAAAACATGCGTGTTCAGGAACTGGCGCAGAATATCCACAAG CTGATTGAGCATCACAACCTCCCGGATCTCATGTTCCGTGCCTTTGAAGTTCTCCC AACGATGATGATTACTCCGTATGCGGCGTTCCAAAAAGAGCTGCATGGCCAAACG GAAGAGGTGTACCTCGAAGAAATGGTCGGTCGCGTTAATGCTAATATGATTCTCCC GTATCCACCTGGTGTGCCTCTCGTTATGCCAGGCGAAATGATCACTGAAGAGTCCC GCCCAGTGCTCGAATTTCTGCAAATGCTGTGTGAAATTGGCGCCCACTACCCAGG CTTCGAAACCGATATTCATGGCGCTTACCGCCAAGCAGATGGTCGCTACACGGTTA AAGTACTCAAGGAAGAGAACAACAAATAA (K. oxytoca Ldc F507L amino acid sequence) SEQ ID NO: 11 MNVIAIMNHMGVYFKEEPIRELHRALERLDFRIVYPNDREDLLKLIENNA RLCGVIFDWDKYNLELCEDISKMNEYMPLYAFANTYSTLDVSLNDLRMQV RFFEYALGAAEDIANKIKQNTDEYIDTILPPLTKALFKYVREGKYTFCTP GHMGGTAFQKSPVGSIFYDFFGSNTMKSDISISVSELGSLLDHSGPHKEA EEYIARVFNAERSYMVTNGTSTANKIVGMYSAPAGSTVLIDRNCHKSLTH LMMMSDITPIYFRPTRNAYGILGGIPQSEFQHATIAKRVKETPNATWPVH AVITNSTYDGLLYNTDYIKKTLDVKSIHFDSAWVPYTNFSPIYEGKCGMS GGRVEGKVIYETQSTHKLLAAFSQASMIHVKGDVNEETFNEAYMMHTTTS PHYGVVASTETAAAMMKGNAGKRLIDGSIERSIKFRKEIKRLKGESDGWF FDVWQPEHIDGAECWPLRSDSAWHGFKNIDNEHMYLDPIKVTLLTPGMKK DGTMDELGIPASIVAKYLDEHGIVVEKTGPYNLLFLFSIGIDKTKALSLL RALTDFKRAFDLNLRVKNMLPSLYREDPEFYENMRVQELAQNIHKLIEHH NLPDLMFRAFEVLPTMMITPYAAFQKELHGQTEEVYLEEMVGRVNANMIL PYPPGVPLVMPGEMITEESRPVLEFLQMLCEIGAHYPGFETDIHGAYRQA DGRYTVKVLKEENNK (K. oxytoca ldc-co1 T1820A nucleotide sequence) SEQ ID NO: 12 ATGAATGTTATTGCGATTATGAACCACATGGGCGTATACTTCAAGGAGGAACCGAT CCGCGAACTGCATCGTGCCCTGGAACGTCTGGATTTCCGCATCGTCTATCCAAATG ACCGTGAGGATCTCCTCAAGCTCATCGAGAATAATGCGCGCCTGTGTGGTGTTATC TTTGACTGGGACAAATACAATCTGGAACTGTGCGAGGACATCTCTAAGATGAACGA ATATATGCCGCTGTACGCGTTTGCCAACACCTACTCTACCCTCGACGTTAGCCTGA ATGACCTGCGCATGCAGGTTCGTTTCTTTGAATACGCGCTGGGTGCGGCGGAAGA CATTGCAAACAAGATCAAACAAAACACCGACGAGTACATTGATACGATCCTCCCTC CTCTCACCAAAGCTCTGTTCAAGTACGTCCGCGAGGGCAAGTACACTTTTTGCACC CCTGGTCATATGGGCGGCACTGCGTTTCAGAAAAGCCCGGTTGGTTCCATTTTCTA TGACTTTTTTGGTTCTAATACGATGAAATCTGATATCTCTATCTCTGTTTCCGAACTC GGCTCCCTGCTGGACCACTCTGGTCCGCATAAAGAAGCAGAAGAATACATCGCGC GTGTTTTCAACGCGGAACGCTCTTACATGGTAACGAACGGCACCAGCACCGCGAA TAAGATTGTTGGTATGTATAGCGCTCCAGCGGGCTCTACCGTACTCATTGACCGTA ACTGCCATAAAAGCCTGACTCACCTCATGATGATGTCCGACATCACTCCAATTTACT TCCGTCCGACCCGTAATGCCTATGGCATCCTGGGTGGCATTCCTCAGTCTGAATTT CAACACGCCACTATTGCTAAGCGTGTAAAGGAGACTCCAAACGCTACGTGGCCTG TCCACGCCGTTATCACCAACTCCACCTACGACGGTCTCCTGTACAATACTGATTAC ATCAAAAAAACCCTGGATGTAAAATCCATTCACTTCGATAGCGCATGGGTTCCTTAC ACTAACTTCAGCCCAATCTATGAGGGTAAGTGCGGTATGAGCGGTGGTCGTGTCG AAGGCAAAGTTATCTACGAGACGCAAAGCACTCACAAACTCCTGGCAGCGTTCTCT CAAGCGTCCATGATTCATGTTAAGGGTGACGTGAATGAAGAGACCTTCAACGAAGC GTACATGATGCATACCACCACCTCTCCGCACTACGGTGTCGTTGCGTCCACGGAA ACGGCGGCTGCTATGATGAAAGGTAATGCGGGTAAACGCCTGATCGACGGTTCTA TTGAGCGTAGCATCAAATTTCGTAAAGAAATCAAACGTCTCAAAGGTGAAAGCGAC GGCTGGTTTTTCGATGTGTGGCAGCCAGAACATATTGATGGTGCTGAATGCTGGC CGCTGCGTTCTGACTCCGCTTGGCACGGTTTCAAAAACATCGACAATGAACACATG TACCTGGACCCGATCAAGGTTACGCTCCTGACCCCAGGTATGAAAAAAGACGGTA CTATGGATGAATTCGGTATTCCGGCCTCCATCGTGGCGAAGTATCTCGACGAACAT GGCATTGTTGTGGAGAAGACGGGTCCGTATAACCTGCTGTTTCTGTTTTCCATCGG CATTGACAAAACGAAAGCGCTGTCTCTGCTGCGTGCGCTGACCGACTTTAAACGT GCGTTCGACCTGAATCTCCGTGTTAAGAACATGCTCCCGTCTCTGTACCGTGAAGA CCCGGAATTCTACGAAAACATGCGTGTTCAGGAACTGGCGCAGAATATCCACAAG CTGATTGAGCATCACAACCTCCCGGATCTCATGTACCGTGCCTTTGAAGTTCTCCC AACGATGATGATTACTCCGTATGCGGCGTTCCAAAAAGAGCTGCATGGCCAAACG GAAGAGGTGTACCTCGAAGAAATGGTCGGTCGCGTTAATGCTAATATGATTCTCCC GTATCCACCTGGTGTGCCTCTCGTTATGCCAGGCGAAATGATCACTGAAGAGTCCC GCCCAGTGCTCGAATTTCTGCAAATGCTGTGTGAAATTGGCGCCCACTACCCAGG CTTCGAAACCGATATTCATGGCGCTTACCGCCAAGCAGATGGTCGCTACACGGTTA AAGTACTCAAGGAAGAGAACAACAAATAA (K. oxytoca Ldc F607Y amino acid sequence) SEQ ID NO: 13 MNVIAIMNHMGVYFKEEPIRELHRALERLDFRIVYPNDREDLLKLIENNA RLCGVIFDWDKYNLELCEDISKMNEYMPLYAFANTYSTLDVSLNDLRMQV RFFEYALGAAEDIANKIKQNTDEYIDTILPPLTKALFKYVREGKYTFCTP GHMGGTAFQKSPVGSIFYDFFGSNTMKSDISISVSELGSLLDHSGPHKEA EEYIARVFNAERSYMVTNGTSTANKIVGMYSAPAGSTVLIDRNCHKSLTH LMMMSDITPIYFRPTRNAYGILGGIPQSEFQHATIAKRVKETPNATWPVH AVITNSTYDGLLYNTDYIKKTLDVKSIHFDSAVVVPYTNFSPIYEGKCGMS GGRVEGKVIYETQSTHKLLAAFSQASMIHVKGDVNEETFNEAYMMHTTTS PHYGVVASTETAAAMMKGNAGKRLIDGSIERSIKFRKEIKRLKGESDGWF FDVWQPEHIDGAECWPLRSDSAWHGFKNIDNEHMYLDPIKVTLLTPGMKK DGTMDEFGIPASIVAKYLDEHGIVVEKTGPYNLLFLFSIGIDKTKALSLL RALTDFKRAFDLNLRVKNMLPSLYREDPEFYENMRVQELAQNIHKLIEHH NLPDLMFRAFEVLPTMMITPYAAFQKELHGQTEEVYLEEMVGRVNANMIL PYPPGVPLVMPGEMITEESRPVLEFLQMLCEIGAHYPGFETDIHGAYRQA DGRYTVKVLKEENNK (RBS DNA-1) SEQ ID NO: 14 GGAGAT (RBS DNA-2) SEQ ID NO: 15 AGGACT (RBS DNA-3) SEQ ID NO: 16 GAGGAG (RBS DNA-4) SEQ ID NO: 17 GAGGAA (RBS DNA-5) SEQ ID NO: 18 TGGAGG (RBS DNA-6) SEQ ID NO: 19 CAGGAG (Plac promoter nucleotide sequence) SEQ ID NO: 20 TTTACACTTTATGCTTCCGGCTCGTATGTTG (Pbad promoter nucleotide sequence) SEQ ID NO: 21 GACGCTTTTTATCGCAACTCTCTACTGT (Ptac promoter nucleotide sequence) SEQ ID NO: 22 TTGACAATTAATCATCGGCTCGTATAATG (aat nucleotide sequence) >gb|AY271828.1|:385-1717 H. alvei plasmid pAlvA, complete sequence SEQ ID NO: 23 1 ttgactttgt taaaagtcag gcataagatc aaaatactgt atatataaca atgtatttat 61 atacagtatt ttatactttt tatctaacgt cagagagggc aatattatga gtggtggaga 121 tggcaagggt cacaatagtg gagcacatga ttccggtggc agcattaatg gaacttctgg 181 gaaaggtggg ccatcaagcg gaggagcatc agataattct gggtggagtt cggaaaataa 241 cccgtggggc ggtggtaact cgggaatgat tggtggcagt caaggaggta acggagctaa 301 tcatggtggc gaaaatacat cttctaacta tgggaaagat gtatcacgcc aaatcggtga 361 tgcgatagcc agaaaggaag gcatcaatcc gaaaatattc actgggtact ttatccgttc 421 agatggatat ttgatcggaa taacgccact tgtcagtggt gatgcctttg gcgttaatct 481 tggcctgttc aataacaatc aaaatagtag tagtgaaaat aagggatgga atggaaggaa 541 tggagatggc attaaaaata gtagccaagg tggatggaag attaaaacta atgaacttac 601 ttcaaaccaa gtagctgctg ctaaatccgt tccagaacct aaaaatagta aatattataa 661 gtccatgaga gaagctagcg atgaggttat taattctaat ttaaaccaag ggcatggagt 721 tggtgaggca gctagagctg aaagagatta cagagaaaaa gtaaagaacg caatcaatga 781 taatagtccc aatgtgctac aggatgctat taaatttaca gcagattttt ataaggaagt 841 ttttaacgct tacggagaaa aagccgaaaa actagccaag ttattagctg atcaagctaa 901 aggtaaaaag atccgcaatg tagaagatgc attgaaatct tatgaaaaac acaaggctaa 961 cattaacaaa aaaatcaatg cgaaagatcg cgaagctatc gccaaggctt tggagtctat 1020 ggatgtagaa aaagccgcaa aaaatatatc caagttcagc aaaggactag gttgggttgg 1081 cccagctatc gatataactg attggtttac agaattatac aaagcagtga aaactgataa 1141 ttggagatct ctttatgtta aaactgaaac tattgcagta gggctagctg caacccatgt 1201 caccgcctta gcattcagtg ctgtcttggg tgggcctata ggtattttag gttatggttt 1261 gattatggct ggggttgggg cgttagttaa cgagacaata gttgacgagg caaataaggt 1321 cattgggatt taa (aai nucleotide sequence) >gb|AY271828.1|:1734-2069 H. alvei plasmid pAlvA, complete sequence SEQ ID NO: 24 1 ctatatttta gcggtcacat tttttatttc aaaacaaaca gaaagaacac caataggaat 61 tgatgtcata aaaataaaaa taaaatacaa agtcattaaa tatgtttttg gcacaccatc 121 cttaaaaaaa cctgttttcc aaaattcttt tttcgtatat ctaagcgctg ctttctctat 181 tagaaaccga gagaaaggaa atagaatagc gctagccaaa ccaaagattc tgagcgcaat 241 tattttaggt tcgtcatcac cataactggc gtaaagaata caagcagcca taaagtatcc 301 ccaaaacata ttatgtatgt aatatttcct tgtcat (abt nucleotide sequence) >gb|AY271829.1|:384-1566 H. alvei plasmid pAlvB, complete sequence SEQ ID NO: 25 1 atgagtggtg gagacggtaa aggtcacaat agtggagcac atgattccgg tggcagcatt 61 aatggaactt cggggaaagg tggacctgat tctggtggcg gatattggga caaccatcca 121 catattacaa tcaccggtgg acgggaagta ggtcaagggg gagctggtat caactggggt 181 ggtggttctg gtcatggtaa cggcgggggc tcagttgcca tccaagaata taacacgagt 241 aaatatccta acacgggagg atttcctcct cttggagacg ctagctggct gttaaatcct 301 ccaaaatggt cggttattga agtaaaatca gaaaactcag catggcgctc ttatattact 361 catgttcaag gtcatgttta caaattgact tttgatggta cgggtaagct cattgatacc 421 gcgtatgtta attatgaacc cagtgatgat actcgttgga gcccgcttaa aagttttaaa 481 tataataaag gaaccgctga aaaacaggtt agggatgcca ttaacaatga aaaagaagca 541 gttaaggacg ctgttaaatt tactgcagac ttctataaag aggtttttaa ggtttacgga 601 gaaaaagccg agaagctcgc taagttatta gcagatcaag ctaaaggcaa aaaggttcgc 661 aacgtagaag atgccttgaa atcttatgaa aaatataaga ctaacattaa caaaaaaatc 721 aatgcgaaag atcgcgaagc tattgctaaa gccttggagt ctatggatgt aggaaaagcc 781 gcaaaaaata tagccaagtt cagtaaagga ctaggttggg ttggccctgc tatcgatata 841 actgattggt ttacagaatt atacaaggca gtggaaactg ataattggag atctttttat 901 gttaaaactg aaactattgc agtagggcta gctgcaaccc atgttgccgc cttggcattc 961 agcgctgtct tgggtgggcc tgtaggtatt ttgggttatg gtttgattat ggctggggtt 1021 ggggcgttag ttaatgagac aatagttgac gaggcaaata aggttattgg gctttaa (abi nucleotide sequence) >gb|AY271829.1|:1583-1918 H. alvei plasmid pAlvB, complete sequence SEQ ID NO: 26 1 ctataattta gcggtcacat tttttatttc aaaaaaaaca gaaataacac ctataggaat 61 tgatgtcata aaaataaaaa ttaaatacaa agtcattaaa tatgtttttg gcacgccatc 121 cttaaaaaaa ccagtttccc aaaattcttt tttcgtatat ctaagcgcgg ttttctctat 181 taaaaaccga gagaaaggga ataggatagc actagccaaa ccaaagattc tgagcgcaat 241 tattttaggt tcgttatccc cataactggc gtaaagaata caaacagcca taaagtaccc 301 ccaaaacata ttatgtatat aatatttcct tgtcat 

What is claimed is:
 1. A product comprising: a mutant lysine decarboxylase (Ldc) polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein the mutant Ldc polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 5 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc K287E), SEQ ID NO: 7 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc T398S), SEQ ID NO: 9 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc R436G), and SEQ ID NO: 11 (i.e., K. oxytoca Ldc F507L. 